Key Highlights
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- Rising prices: Rice, pulses, jaggery and chickpeas have become costlier across Tamil Nadu.
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- Pulses: Some varieties are up by as much as ₹30 a kg.
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- Chickpeas: Used for Ayudha Puja sundal, reportedly up to ₹50 a kg.
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- Reasons cited: Lower supplies, changing weather and strong seasonal demand.
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- Political heat: Critics urge the government to act; the Food Minister says conditions are normal.
As families in Tamil Nadu prepare for Ayudha Puja and Deepavali, rising prices of essential food items are stretching household budgets. Rice, pulses, jaggery and chickpeas, all key to festive cooking, have become more expensive.
What’s Costlier
| Item | Festive use | Price rise |
|---|---|---|
| Pulses (some varieties) | Daily meals, savouries | Up to ₹30/kg |
| Chickpeas | Sundal for Ayudha Puja | Up to ₹50/kg (reported) |
| Jaggery | Sweet pongal, sweets | Higher |
| Rice | Staple and festive dishes | Continuing to rise |
The increases have been attributed to reduced supplies, changing weather conditions and strong seasonal demand.
Why It Matters: Higher Bills at the Worst Time
The timing makes the price rise especially hard. Festivals are when household spending already peaks, on new clothes, fireworks and sweets. When essential ingredients get costlier at the same time, families often cut back elsewhere, buying smaller quantities, making fewer homemade sweets or trimming other expenses.