Business at the 11-day Adivasi Mela in Bhubaneswar, which concluded on Thursday, remained sluggish this year, with several tribal sellers returning home with unsold stock and complaints about falling footfall, digital payment failures and overlapping fairs in the capital.
Premati Pradhan, 49, who travelled from Daringbadi in Kandhamal with tribal produce worth nearly ₹8 lakh, said a significant portion remained unsold even on the final day. “This used to be the biggest platform for tribal products. But now too many fairs are held back-to-back. Why would people come here specifically?” she asked, alluding to the Sisira Saras Mela that ended on January 18 and other frequent fairs across Bhubaneswar.
She said that poor mobile network during peak hours also affected transactions. “Most customers prefer to pay via PhonePe or QR code. But the signal drops when the crowd increases. Some even left behind ₹2,000 worth of items when the payment failed,” she said.
Sanjukta Kanhara, 37, another participant from Kandhamal, said: “Our turmeric and millets used to sell like hot cakes. Now, traders from other places are flooding the market with inferior-quality products. That hurts our credibility.”
The prized Kandhamal turmeric, known for its strong aroma, medicinal value and high curcumin content, received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2019. “Last year, we sold nearly five quintals. This time, it’s far less,” Sanjukta added.
From Angul, stall owner Satabdi Saibali blamed poor stall layout for weak sales. “Visitors enter from one end and exit from the other without seeing half the stalls. Mine barely saw any traffic,” she said.
Another seller from Lanjigarh said she had to offload her products to fellow stall owners at throwaway prices due to poor footfall.
The Adivasi Mela featured 109 stalls showcasing tribal arts, crafts, food and culture. Officials said transactions worth around ₹4 crore were recorded till Wednesday, with additional ₹60–70 lakh expected on the final day.
However, they admitted that increasing competition from other fairs has affected turnout. “Another fair is underway near Khandagiri with theatre shows. They may not be government-sponsored, but they do draw crowds away,” an official said.
