Markets in southern districts buzz ahead of Pongal

Bunches of banana lined up at Kamaraj Market in Thoothukudi district on Sunday.
| Photo Credit:
N. RAJESH

People from Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts thronged marketplaces to buy festive goods ahead of Pongal. Traders across these districts have stocked a wide range of items including sugarcane, pottery, tubers and turmeric.

The harvest festival, celebrated across Tamil Nadu on January 15, has brought festive cheer to the southern districts. Markets across the four districts are witnessing a high influx of goods from other parts of the State. And many people have started their Pongal shopping early to avoid last-minute rush.

Lalitha from Putheri, who bought a bundle of palmyra tubers at Vadasery market, said: “I usually prefer shopping three to four days ahead of Pongal. By then, goods from other districts start arriving, and it is easier for buyers to bargain and purchase items without any rush.”

She adds that she used to buy a large quantity of tubers and sugarcane earlier, but has reduced the quantity now as her children have settled abroad.

Murugan, a roadside vendor, says that turmeric plants used to sell in large quantities earlier. “However, it has reduced over a period of time, as people now buy them mainly to follow the tradition of tying them around the Pongal pot.”

He procures turmeric plants from Tenkasi district and sells them at ₹50 to ₹80 depending on the size. “We spend a huge amount on transportation, and plants tend to wilt easily,” he says.

According to Ramesh, president, Vadasery Market Traders Union, the market has lost its sheen in recent times, with a reduced number of people visiting it because most now prefer to to AAPTA market at Ozhuginasery. “Usually, this is the peak sales season. However, the festive spirit is pickling up at a slow pace,” he says.

In contrast, AAPTA is bustling with traders and shoppers from various parts of the district purchasing vegetables, fruits and other essentials for Pongal.

“Goods have already started arriving, with people beginning their purchases. People usually give ‘Pongal padi’, [gifts and ritual items essentially sent from maternal home to daughters] a week in advance and, hence, business is doing well,” says Paulraj, president, AAPTA Market Traders Association.

He adds that market hours will be extended beyond 11 p.m. as this period is crucial for many traders.

Arumugam, a pottery trader from Palayamkottai, feels that the number of people purchasing traditional clay pots has declined. “We usually set up stalls only during December and January, depending on Pongal sales. However, even this has been affected in recent times,” he rues.

Clay pots and terracotta stoves are being sold for ₹150-₹170, depending on the variant selected, he adds..

Meanwhile, Sudhan, a sugarcane vendor from Nagercoil, points out that the cost of a sugarcane bundle comprising 15 cane sticks ranges from ₹500 to ₹550, whereas a single piece costs ₹50.

Noting that people buying bundles of sugarcane has significantly reduced, he says that with families increasingly getting smaller, many prefer buying one or two stalks.

Similarly, roads in Thoothukudi have come alive with festive spirit, with a large number of pop up shops selling terracotta pottery, rangoli powder, sugarcane and tubers.

Farmers from the northern part of Thoothukudi district, Kulasekarapattinam, Udangudi and Sathankulam have started harvesting palmyra tubers, ahead of Pongal.

A. Varadharajan of Karisal Bhoomi Farmers’ Association wants the government to consider including palmyra tubers in the Pongal gift hampers that it distributes to beneficiaries, as the initiative will be highly beneficial for the palmyra tuber farmers of the State.

Jeyasingh, a wholesale banana merchant from Thoothukudi, feels the Pongal festive spirit has begun to pick up, with sales improving over the past few days, though they remain lower than pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels. “Before the pandemic, around 3,000 banana bunches were sold in a single day during Pongal. However, it has now reduced to 1,500 to 2,000.”

Despite variation in sales of commodities, traders and farmers remain hopeful of earning well and clearing their stock during the festival season.

Published – January 11, 2026 08:22 pm IST