Ahead of Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja on October 1, and Vijayadashami on October 2, essential items for the festivals, including fruits, flowers, ash gourd, puffed rice, banana stems, and other puja materials, flooded the markets here on Monday (September 29, 2025).
At the Nethaji Daily Vegetable and Fruit market on the V.O.C. Park ground premises, large quantities of items such as mango leaves, sevanthi (chrysanthemum), marigold, coconut, and sugarcane arrived for sale. Fruits, particularly apples and pomegranates, were also available in abundance. Wholesalers said sales of all these items would peak on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) and Wednesday (October 1, 2025) for the festivals. Retailers have already started purchasing goods from Monday to begin sales at their shops the following day.
Traders noted that prices of fruits and vegetables are expected to rise by 20% to 40% due to high demand, while a few traders, seeking larger profits, sell at much higher rates. “Since it’s the festival season, we consumers end up paying much more for items that are mandatory for celebrations,” said P. Karpagam, a resident of Moolapalayam.
Sales at the Uzhavar Sandhais in Sampath Nagar and Periyar Nagar, along with other retail outlets, are also expected to increase over the next two days. From Tuesday, temporary shops selling these festival items will line the roadsides, offering easy access for consumers in their neighbourhoods. Traders in Salem also added that they are ready for the big sale and have stocked adequate products for the festival.
