Ritual significance?

They were suddenly selling these in the streets of Tonghai, along with more paper 'death money'. I've never seen anyone sell them before. Although they look like Macdonalds fries they are sprouted and growing something-or-other. Possibly rice?

I had an idea that this was something to do with the end of the (I think) month of the dead which has been in full swing while we've been here. This idea was helped by seeing an old lady set one up rather like an offering on a round stone cylinder at the end of a backstreet.

The old chap was arguing over the price. Can you do this with something intended as an offering?