The Kerala government has announced a major market intervention plan ahead of Onam, the state’s biggest harvest festival, to ensure affordable prices and uninterrupted supply of essential commodities during the festive season. With celebrations scheduled to culminate in the last week of August, the government aims to control price rises and support households facing increased demand.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob on Monday announced that Supplyco’s annual Onam Trade Fairs will begin on August 8. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan is scheduled to inaugurate the state-level fair in Ernakulam. Three mega trade fairs will be organised in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode, while district-level fairs will be conducted across the remaining 11 districts from August 16 to 25.
The government will also open Onam Markets across all 126 Assembly constituencies, with special fairs planned during the final six days before Thiruvonam. Horticorp outlets will operate alongside these markets, providing vegetables at subsidised prices to help consumers manage increased festive expenses and prevent sharp price hikes.
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To meet the expected rise in demand, Kerala plans to distribute more than 1.29 lakh metric tonnes of rice and 24,500 metric tonnes of wheat through various supply channels. Blue ration card holders will receive an additional three kg of rice and two kg of wheat, while other ration card categories, including NPS and NPNS beneficiaries, will also receive wheat supplies.
The government will begin distributing free Onam kits containing 16 essential food items to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families in the first week of August. Around Rs 53 crore has been allocated for the scheme, which will also extend benefits to inmates of welfare institutions across the state.
To prevent hoarding and black marketing during the festive period, special inspection teams under District Collectors will monitor markets, while the Price Monitoring Cell will track retail prices. The state government has already sanctioned Rs 448.05 crore over the past two months for Onam kit distribution, market intervention measures, and paddy procurement to ensure a smooth and affordable festive season for people across Kerala.
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