Erode, January 4:  

Prices of jaggery (gur) and jaggery powder increased on demand for fast approaching festivals in Tamil Nadu. At the weekly sale at Chitode near Erode on Saturday, 12,000 bags ( of 30 kg each) of jaggery were on offer. Bidders quoted Rs.1,100-1,200 a bag, Rs.50 more than the previous week. Traders said the demand for jaggery was high in view of the forth coming Pongal, Sankaranti, Thiruvathirai and Thai poosam festivals. At the sale, 5,000 bags of jaggery powder (each of 60 kg) were sold for Rs.1,600 a bag. At the Kavindapady Regulated Market Committee, 1,000 bags of jaggery powder arrived for sale. In the private jaggery market at Kavindapady, jaggery powder was sold at Rs.1,900 a bag and 1,500 bags were sold. Prices are set to rule firm as farmers are expecting demand to be higher next week.