OMG! Ganeshas turn dearer

Hyderabad: With Ganesh Chaturthi around the corner, traditional artisans are busy giving final touches to Ganesh idols across the city. As last year due to Covid restrictions idol sellers hardly could earn anything and with the price hike in many commodities, Ganesh idol prices have increased by 15-20 per cent this year.

According to idols makers, let it be for eco-friendly or plaster of Paris (POP) idols there is a steep rise in the cost of raw materials like POP, colours, bamboo sticks and coir that go into the making of idols resulted in price hikes. 1 feet Ganesh idol is priced at Rs 1,000 – Rs 1,500. The price of eco-friendly idol in online platform is starting from Rs 300.

"This year the cost of a 5 feet idol is around Rs 10,000, while that of a 14 ft to 18 ft idol is costing as much as Rs 60,0000 to Rs 1 lakh. As material cost of Ganesh idols increases every year but this year the labour charges too doubled.

We had to increase the prices of idols to reach the minimum profit after sales," said Kailash Singh, idol maker, Dhoolpet.

"Our idols are brought from Maharashtra, and to cope up with transportation expenses, we have increased our prices. We are hoping for a good sale as there is a high demand for smaller idols this year," said T Suresh, an idol seller at General Bazar, Secunderabad.

'We get soil from Odisha and West Bengal and soil prices have increased due to rains and recent floods in these States and so does labour and transport charges. Further, the increasing demand for eco-friendly idols this year also contributed to price hikes.

Staring price of idol that of 5 feet is Rs 10,0000," said K Nagesh, eco-friendly Ganesh idol manufacture, Chaderghat.