Festival price surge in Tamil Nadu: Rice, pulses up ₹30-50/kg ahead of Deepavali
Synopsis
With Deepavali days away, Tamil Nadu households are facing a double burden: pulses up ₹30/kg, chickpeas up ₹50/kg, and jaggery prices climbing — all at the one time of year when food spending peaks. The government's 'all is normal' line is being openly challenged, and the political heat on Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is rising fast.
Key Takeaways
Pulse prices in Tamil Nadu have risen by up to ₹30 per kilogram ahead of Deepavali 2026 .
Chickpeas , used for Ayudha Puja sundal, have reportedly increased by up to ₹50 per kilogram .
Rice and jaggery prices have also risen, affecting both everyday staples and festival preparations.
Reduced supplies, adverse weather, and seasonal demand have been cited as the primary drivers.
Joseph Vijay is facing political criticism for insufficient attention to consumer prices.
The Food Minister 's assurances of normal conditions have been publicly questioned by critics and retailers.
Rising prices of rice, pulses, jaggery, and chickpeas are squeezing household budgets across Tamil Nadu as families gear up for the festive season, with the cost of key ingredients climbing sharply ahead of Deepavali. The surge has prompted widespread calls for government intervention to stabilise essential food prices.
Scale of the Price Increases
Some varieties of pulses have risen by as much as ₹30 per kilogram, while chickpeas — a staple for Ayudha Puja sundal preparations — have reportedly recorded increases of up to ₹50 per kilogram. Rice prices have continued their upward trend, affecting everyday purchases beyond just festival essentials.
Jaggery, a core ingredient in traditional preparations such as sweet pongal, has also become significantly more expensive. Analysts attribute the increases to a combination of reduced supplies, adverse weather conditions, and heightened seasonal demand — factors that typically converge during the pre-festive period.
Impact on Household Spending
For families already managing routine food expenses, the timing is especially difficult. With Deepavali approaching, households face the simultaneous pressure of buying new clothes, purchasing fireworks, and stocking up on ingredients for homemade sweets and savouries. Higher ingredient costs could translate into smaller purchases, fewer traditional recipes, or cuts elsewhere in the household budget.
The increases are not confined to festive ingredients alone — everyday staples are affected as well, compounding the financial strain on lower- and middle-income families across the state.
Political Pressure on the State Government
The situation has taken a political turn, with Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay facing criticism over the administration's response to rising living costs. Opposition voices have urged the Chief Minister to pay closer attention to conditions at neighbourhood grocery shops, with pointed references to his recent visits to London, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
The Food Minister's assurances that conditions are normal have been publicly questioned, with critics calling on the government to gather direct feedback from shoppers and local retailers rather than relying on official assessments that may not reflect ground-level prices.
Demands for Government Action
Civil society groups and political opponents are pressing the Tamil Nadu government to ensure adequate supplies of essential commodities and take steps to contain price volatility. The demands centre on preventing soaring food bills from overshadowing what is traditionally one of the year's most important celebrations for Tamil families.
As the festive season gathers momentum, the pressure on state authorities to act is intensifying — and for millions of households, the window for affordable festival preparations is narrowing by the week.
Point of View
But the ₹50/kg jump in chickpeas and ₹30/kg rise in pulses suggest supply-chain vulnerabilities that routine government assurances cannot paper over. The Food Minister's 'conditions are normal' line, contradicted by what consumers actually pay at the counter, is a credibility problem — and it recurs every festive cycle. Until the state builds a more responsive price-monitoring and procurement buffer, the same headlines will return next Deepavali.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are food prices rising in Tamil Nadu ahead of Deepavali 2026?
Prices of rice, pulses, jaggery, and chickpeas have surged due to a combination of reduced supplies, adverse weather conditions, and stronger seasonal demand during the pre-Deepavali period. The convergence of these factors at a time of peak household spending has amplified the financial strain.
By how much have pulse and chickpea prices increased in Tamil Nadu?
Some varieties of pulses have risen by up to ₹30 per kilogram, while chickpeas — widely used in Ayudha Puja sundal preparations — have reportedly recorded increases of up to ₹50 per kilogram. Rice and jaggery prices have also continued to rise.
What is the Tamil Nadu government's response to the festival price surge?
The Food Minister has stated that conditions are normal, but these assurances have been publicly challenged by critics who argue that official assessments do not reflect prices actually paid by consumers at local shops.
What political criticism is Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay facing over food prices?
Opposition voices have urged CM C. Joseph Vijay to focus more on the financial difficulties faced by consumers at neighbourhood grocery shops, referencing his recent visits to London, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh as a contrast to the domestic cost-of-living crisis.
How does the price surge affect Deepavali celebrations for Tamil families?
Higher ingredient costs could force households to make smaller purchases, prepare fewer traditional sweets and savouries, or cut spending in other areas. The impact falls hardest on lower- and middle-income families already managing routine food expenses.
