Puri: Transactions crossed Rs 5 crore in this year’s National-level Pallishree Mela at Bholanath Vidyapeeth here.
The fair, organised by Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) on the occasion of Rath Yatra, concluded Saturday.
ORMAS sources said the volume of transactions at this year’s Pallishree Mela in the Holy city here was the highest in last three years. “Transactions worth Rs 5.11 crore were reported from this year’s Pallishree Mela. The volume of transactions was Rs 2.80 crore in last year’s fair. It was Rs 4.72 crore in 2017. Frequent rain harmed transactions in last year’s fair,” said a source in the ORMAS.
This year, altogether 280 stalls were opened at the Pallishree Mela. Traders from 13 states including Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, West Bengal and Nagaland had opened their stalls at the fair. That apart, various women self-help groups (SHGs) from across Odisha had also brought their products to the fair.
“Traders and women SHGs had opened 247 stalls at this year’s fair while outside traders opened 33 stalls,” added the source.
Most of the stalls sold household goods, handicrafts and handloom products at the just concluded fair. There were 17 food stalls at the Pallishree Mela.
A large number of people especially women visited the stalls to purchase household goods and decorative pieces.
A stall opened by Puri district Horticulture department became a point of attraction for many visitors. The stall displayed detailed information for cultivation of various vegetables and fruits.
Artisans at the stall had created the figures of various deities like Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Ganesh by using pumpkins and other vegetables to attract visitors.
Law Minister Pratap Jena had inaugurated the fair in the presence of School and Mass Education (S&ME) Minister Samir Ranjan Dash and Sports and Youth Services Minister Tusharkanti Behera, July 3.
ORMAS authorities organised cultural events to attract visitors to the fair.