Shahin Bepari Lambe
Panaji: The traditional Matoli Bazaar on Monday in Panaji saw prices of various items nearly double compared to last year, leaving locals struggling with the steep cost of fruits, vegetables, and flowers as they prepare for Ganesh Chaturthi, which will be celebrated on Wednesday.
Kamini Gadekar, a vendor at the Panaji market, said, “Early rains made it difficult to source traditional wild flowers
and grass from fields. And today, due to extreme sunlight we are suffering loss as most of our other wild flowers, which are symbolic for ‘Gauri’, have dried up.”
She added, “Earlier, we used to sell a bunch of wild flowers for Rs 50, but now the same costs Rs 100. We have had to buy stock from Kudal because nothing is available in Goa.”
The seasonal offerings important for Chaturthi rituals are selling at steep rates: passion fruit Rs 100 for two; wild flowers and herbs such as Kunkala, Kunala and Ghareyo Rs 100 each; chibud Rs 100; ambade Rs 100 for 15 small ones or Rs 100 for eight large; kavnale Rs 100 for four; nirfanas Rs 350 (small) and Rs 500 (big); pineapple
Rs 100; cucumber Rs 50 for two; corn Rs 30 each or Rs 100 for three; guava Rs 100 for two; pumpkin (small) Rs 80; pomegranate (big) Rs 300 per kg (about three per kg); suran Rs 120 per kg; coconut (medium)
Rs 60; banana bunch Rs 200; toring Rs 100; iron chaad (small bunch) Rs 50; and kivniche dor Rs 50.
Pranita Khandeparkar, a local buyer, said, “Every year, it’s the same story during Ganesh Chaturthi. Prices do go up usually between Rs 50 to 100 and that is expected. But this year, it does feel like things are a bit more expensive than usual.”
Another vendor, Kamakshi Pednekar, said that some items are no longer available. “We don’t increase the price as per the festival, we have to increase the price as there is nothing available in Goa, everything is imported from Sindhudurg. Everyone selling items of matoli bazaar has purchased and are reselling it. The margin is very minimal for this items, unlike before where we use to get it from forests and fields.”
