Madras Kirana Merchants Association president P Kodhanda Ramaiah said the merchants, who have been operating from at least 10 streets including Audiappa Naicken Street, Anna Pillai Street Acharappan Street and Varada Muthiyappan Street, have been in the wholesale business for more than 70 years.
The shops come under Royapuram zone which is among the worst affected and which on Tuesday morning had 1,272 Covid-19 cases highest in the city.
“The authorities asked us if we can shut shop until May 30 to control the spread of cases. We told them that if the outlets remain closed until then, it will lead to unnecessary rush at the beginning of next month and agreed to shut business till end of the week,” Kodanda Ramaiah told TOI. He, however said the shutdown will not affect the supply chain and there would be no shortage.
The merchants are also facing a staff shortage as most of their workers from Andhra Pradesh and southern districts have left. “Only those who are here are available and the charges are more. A worker has to be paid ₹50 for loading/unloading a sack now against the ₹15 earlier,” said a merchant.
S Sivakumar, secretary of Madras Chilli Merchants Association, said the price rise will not be reflected this week. Since most items come from neighbouring states and from as far as Uttar Pradesh, transport was a problem because of the lockdown. Goods had to be shifted onto vans from trucks and this combined with the increase in labour charges led to a price rise by ₹5 per kg in all wholesale items.
Not everyone has taken kindly to the authorities’ request to shut shops. “Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has said we have to learn to live with the virus. Our authorities too should take bold decisions. If wholesale trade is shut for long, there will be inflation,” said S Chandresan, secretary of Tamil Nadu Foodgrain Merchants Association.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/chennai-wholesale-traders-in-kothawal-chavadi-shut-shop/articleshow/75837885.cms
