PONDA: The vendors selling different kinds of fruits, vegetables at famous Banastarim Matoli Bazaar as well as Ponda main Market said this year the Matoli items become costly as 15 days of continuous rains damaged various fruits, including areca nuts.
The vendors said they had brought Matoli items from various parts of Goa after lot of effort in purchasing them at higher rates. However consumers demand the same at cheaper prices, they alleged.
The vendors said due to pandemic people’s incomes are affected they are picking up heavy bargain while buying
There is rush in the markets which is causing traffic jam. Some alert citizens should follow COVID guidelines and Municipality, Panchayat and Police should appoint volunteers to keep a check on social distancing in the market.
Meanwhile several vendors whose business was hit by the pandemic, hope of getting business from Chaturthi Bazaar, which would help them feed their families for several months.
“Ganesh Chaturthi is such a festival where people not only buy Matoli and vegetables but each and every domestic good has equal demands as people prefer new items to worship lord Ganesh and celebrate Chaturthi. Right from broom, new clothes, curtains, TV sets, electronic goods, paint, decorations almost every commodity gets sold on occasions of Ganesh festival, which is biggest in Hindu family followed by Diwali,” said a vendor.
However, rain since three days affected shopping and so Bhoma Panchayat decided to extend Banastarim Bazaar by one more day. “The Banastarim Matoli Bazaar opened from September 6,” said Sarpanch Sunil Bhomkar.
