After COVID lull, business back to normal at Venkatagiri saree market

NELLORE/CHITTOOR: Traders of Venkatagiri wholesale saree market, a popular place for a wide variety of sarees, heaved a sigh of relief as they are getting bulk orders in the month of holy Shravan from various parts of the country after a worst season last year. Normally, people plan marriages and other functions in the month of Shravan. 

After a lull due to the Covid pandemic, business is limping back to normal, say traders. Customers have started visiting the market to buy sarees and traders are getting orders from other parts of the country. With this, new stock from local weavers are reaching the market. 

It may be noted that the sale of silk and other varieties of sarees witnessed a steep fall in Venkatagiri and Patur in Nellore district in the holy Shravan month last year. Traders in Venkatagiri usually get around Rs 20 crore business during the month. But, the business had dropped to just Rs2 crore in the last Shravan. 

“The business has been improved as many marriages are planned on the auspicious days. We are trying to clear last year’s stock with attractive offers in shops. Retailers have started getting business and they placed orders for new stocks,” said M Sukumar, a saree trader from Venkatagiri town. 

Venkatagiri sarees are made up of pure cotton with excellent zariwork and good finishing. In fact, weavers in Venkatagiri region also make a wide variety of silk sarees. Hand-woven sarees from the region have a 300-year-old history.  

There is huge demand for Venkatagiri sarees across the country. Traders and consumers from across the country visit Venkatagiri and purchase sarees based on their requirement. Traders have already kept stocks of new variety sarees to cash in on the holy month.  Viswanath, another trader, said that they faced a severe financial crisis last year.

“We expect good business this year. The situation has improved. We are getting bulk orders from other parts of  the country,” Viswanath said with a smile. There are 3,000 looms in the Venkatagiri area. Traders export sarees to popular showrooms in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and other parts of the country. Meanwhile, the business has improved at Patur in Kovur segment.