Retailers from other States have been coming in large numbers to the city’s weekly textile shops to make purchases on Tuesday as the Pongal festival, which will be held on January 15 and 16, approaches.
The city is home to more than 3,000 textile-related businesses, including the E.K.M. Abdul Gani Textile Market (Gani Market) near Panneerselvam Park, where both wholesale and retail sales are conducted.
While more than 2,000 stores are open every day, more than 720 stores are open from Monday night through Tuesday night, when traders and retailers from other States can make bulk purchases.
Due to the constant rain, the market had minimal sales following Deepavali. For Christmas, retail sales increased, but dismal wholesale sales persisted.
Traders from Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh bought textile products on Tuesday, according to members of the Erode Gani Market Weekly Textile Traders Associations. They said that the volume of wholesale sales was 40% more than that of retail sales, adding that regular people also showed up to buy things for the Pongal holiday.
Traders anticipate strong sales up until Pongal, following which they anticipate weak sales through April. They stated that they had high budget expectations and did not want any more taxes placed on textiles.
