Vegetable traders at the four main markets in Coimbatore - Anna, MGR, Thyagi Kumaran, and Ukkadam - have seen nearly 40 % slump in sales in the last four months with several restrictions to trade in an effort to control the spread of COVID-19.
“The Anna market traders have seen almost 90 % fall in sales, especially after moving to GCT campus. There are no main functions now and several people are now selling vegetables on vehicles in different areas. So there is steep fall in the number of people coming to the market,” says Suresh, secretary of the vegetable traders’ association at the market.
“We have appealed to the authorities concerned to permit us to operate from the market. We can take turns and open shops as we are doing now and we can follow all the precautions,” he adds.
At MGR market, though functioning of the market is as usual, the sales have dropped. “It is just about 50 % of what it was earlier. The authorities should find an alternative location with enough space and facilities so that the vegetable traders can continue to open the stalls with enough personal distancing. There should be facilities to load and unload the vegetables even during the rainy season. Be it Madurai, Tiruchi or Chennai, the vegetable markets are located in spacious areas. In Chennai, the officials have given the traders an alternative location,” pointed out one of the traders.
The Ukkadam market traders have appealed to the officials to permit them to function from the market rather than shifting to alternative locations. Vegetable buyers - wholesale and retail - who earlier used to buy from the sellers at the Ukkadam market are now scattered because the trading is shifted to alternative locations. “Even if there are COVID cases, the officials should ensure that the traders are able to continue business without affecting others,” says a trader there.
President of the vegetable traders’ association at Thyagi Kumaran market M. Rajendran says rather than shutting down shops or the market itself, the authorities concerned should organise vehicles so that the traders are able to take the vegetables to different localities and sell. Even if two vehicles go twice a day to a ward, the public can buy the vegetables safely and there will be no crowding. The traders will not be affected too, he says.
Traders in the markets also said the officials should discuss these issues with them and look at sustainable solutions so the sellers and farmers are not affected and the public continue to get vegetables without shortage even if there is increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. The aim should be to ensure a safe environment for all, they said.
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July 27, 2020 at 12:09AM
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Vegetable traders face 40 % drop in sales - The Hindu
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