MARKETS,
SHOPS GET FRESH STOCK; SALES OF RAW RICE, JAGGERY, CASHEWS AND GHEE PICK UP
AHEAD OF FESTIVAL
With
Pongal around the corner, rice wholesalers in the city have started
distributing fresh raw rice to retail outlets.
The
rice market at Red Hills has been receiving 200 tonnes of rice every day from
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, for the past week.
D.
Thulasingam, president of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Rice Mill Owners and
Paddy-Rice Dealers Association, said the paddy market has also started getting
fresh stock.
Many
families like those of Virugambakkam resident Leela A. Chezhian, buy rice,
jaggery, cashews, ghee, cardamom and raisins for the festival. “Even though we
generally have these provisions at home, we buy them specifically for use for
the festival. It’s a family tradition,” she said.
Recently-harvested
raw rice is used to make pongal, as it is most suited for the rice preparation.
This rice becomes sticky and can be mashed easily, which is suitable for making
pongal.
Wholesalers
are now selling new raw rice for pongal at Rs. 24/kg. In the retail market, raw
rice is being sold for between Rs. 30-Rs. 45/kg. Jaggery is being sold at Rs.
46-Rs. 50/kg.
S.
Antonyraj, a jaggery wholesaler at Padi said that he purchases jaggery from
Salem. “I buy it in 31-kg bags that are called sippam, and priced at Rs.
1,400-1,500. The dark brown variety of jaggery is most suitable for making
sweet pongal,” he explained.
The
prices of the other items that are a must during the festive season are: cashew
at Rs. 550/kg; cardamom (5 grams) for Rs. 9; ghee (50 grams) at Rs. 24; pepper
(50 grams) at Rs. 30, raisins (50 grams) at Rs. 8 and jeera (50 grams) at Rs.
11.
Apart
from these items, residents also buy clay pots and even gas stoves on the
occasion. Newly married couple M. Sarathkumar and S. Priyadarsini bought a new
gas stove for the festival. “We will inaugurate it on Pongal,” said Mr.
Sarathkumar, who will buy a clay pot a day before Pongal.
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