Manapparai traders miffed with Pudukai market date clash

The change in the market day in Pudukkottai resulted in traders of Manapparai losing business over a few crores. So, they petitioned the Pudukkottai Collector to direct the traders there to revert back to their earlier market day of Friday.

The 100-year-old Manapparai weekly cattle market which functions on Wednesdays used to witness heavy rush of cattle even from Tuesday evening. The traders too would arrive early at the Manapparai market on the previous day to pick their choice of cattle. The turnover used be in crores and the cattle would be available from the lowest range of Rs 5,000 to the maximum of Rs 3 lakh.

However, in the recent days, the cattle market held in Pudukkottai district has been giving a tough time to the traditional Manapparai market. More so, after the traders of the Pudukkottai market, which used to converge on Friday decided to hold the market on Wednesday the same day as that of Manapparai market.   Though initially, it was felt that it would not affect the Manapparai market, the business declined too low as Pudukkottai was well connected.

“Usually, the Pudukkottai market functioned only on Friday and the cattle used to reach there by Thursday evening. But in recent days, the Pudukkottai traders have re-scheduled the market to Wednesday and so the cattle from Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Madurai have started reaching Pudukkottai first. This has resulted in Manapparai market losing much of business,” said Chinna Gownder, a regular trader at the Manapparai market.

Chinna Gownder said that the Manapparai market used to witness at least 2,000 animals, but it has been reduced to less than 1,000 as they are diverted to Pudukkottai market. He also said that the traders from Manapparai have approached their counterparts in Pudukkottai to conduct the market on the earlier day (Friday) as other state and district traders find it difficult to do regular business.

Meanwhile, Manapparai traders have approached Pudukkottai Collector S Ganesh to regularise the market schedule in the district. “If the Pudukkottai traders fail to re-schedule the market day, we would stage series of protests,” said Kannappan, an office-bearer of the traders association in Manapparai.