A festive spirit pervaded the city, with people thronging wholesale vegetable and flower markets on Friday making last-minute purchases ahead of Pongal festival on Saturday. Anticipating brisk sales, vendors have brought additional loads of sugarcane and turmeric from various districts to markets in the city.
One of the most important features of Pongal, sugarcane is being sold in bunches, each with 10 pieces, in the wholesale Goubert Market on Bharathi Street. The edible black variety is sold at ₹250 to ₹300 for a bundle. Over 30 loads of sugarcane procured from Chidambaram, Sirkazhi and various parts of neighbouring Tamil Nadu have arrived at the wholesale markets.
However, the sale of colourful clay pots has been dull this year as a majority of the people prefer to cook in gas stoves. “The practice is to prepare pongal using clay pots. The pots are available from ₹50 to ₹200,” said Selvi from Madagadipet.
The prices of flowers have increased in the wholesale markets in view of the huge demand during Pongal. K. Selvaganapathy, a flower seller on Bharathi Street, said that people had been thronging the market over the last few days to buy flowers for Pongal festival.
The price of ‘malli’ (jasmine) has risen to Rs. 1,600 per kg compared to Rs. 1,200 it was selling a few days ago.
The price of kanagambaram flowers remained at Rs.800 per kg while the price of roses had increased to Rs.200 against Rs.160 per kg, he said.
