Markets abuzz with people buying essential goods for Pongal celebrations

Markets in Madurai and Dindigul districts were abuzz with people buying essential items for Pongal celebrations, on Wednesday. People were seen buying sugarcane, vegetables, flowers, turmeric and other goods despite their prices being marginally higher. They thronged the wholesale and retail markets and also roadside shops.

According to N. Chinnamayan, president of Anaithu Vyabarigal Kootamaipu, Central Vegetable Market in Mattuthavani, except for drumstick which was priced at ₹300 a kg, prices of other vegetables and beans varieties remained constant. He said there was a good crowd at the market with people making their last minute purchases.

However, the price of jasmine flowers had skyrocketed in both the districts. Traders said jasmine was selling at ₹7,000 per kg. They said due to the frost conditions and rain, there was a poor supply. This had resulted in the price of jasmine flowers skyrocketing.

For sugarcane farmers, it was a contrasting fortune. The farmers in Madurai district expressed satisfaction over the sugarcane yield. They said there was a good yield this year. However, the farmers in Dindigul district said they had expected a better yield this year.

Farmers in Madurai district said there was sufficient rain in the region while farmers in Dindigul said there was insufficient rain in the Dindigul region which impacted the yield.

Vijayalakshmi, a sugarcane farmer from Chettinayakkanpatti in Dindigul district, said her family has been cultivating sugarcane for over 25 years now. She said that insufficient rain had led to poor yield this year. She said that last year the traders bought a bundle of sugarcane for ₹350. This year too it was the same price. She said that the government should procure sugarcane directly from the farmers.

In Madurai district, there was brisk sales of sugarcane. A wholesaler G. Muthuraman said they were selling a bundle which consists of 15 sugarcane and the price was based on the quality of the sugarcane. He said the price ranged from ₹300 to ₹500 and ₹600. He said they were also selling single pieces of sugarcane which were priced at ₹50 a piece, considering that people were making their last minute purchases.