With June bringing no relief from the scorching summer, several vegetables have already seen a sharp increase in prices in the wholesale market.
Now, if the indefinite strike called by truckers, which began on Monday, continues for even two days, it could have a major impact on the cost and availability of vegetables in the city, traders said.
S. Chandran, president, Koyambedu Market Licensed Merchants Association, said nearly 30-40% of traders would manage transport of the produce with their own vehicles.
“We received normal supply in the Koyambedu market as the business hours were prior to the strike,” he said.
On average, the market gets 270-300 truckloads of produce daily, mainly from the southern States.
Wholesale traders said that truckers transporting essential commodities normally refrain from participating in the strike during the initial days.
Steady rise since April
Prices of vegetables started shooting up from mid-April and have been escalating ever since.
P. Sukumar, treasurer, Koyambedu Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers Merchants Association, said there was a shortage in supply of local produce like brinjal.
Broad beans that was priced at ₹30 a kg in the wholesale market last month is now sold for ₹50/kg. Green peas is one of the costlier vegetables as it is now being sold for ₹120-140 a kg. Brinjal, which is mainly supplied from other parts of the State, is sold for ₹35 per kg in the Koyambedu wholesale market. “We expect the prices to stabilise only by July. If the strike continues, the cost may escalate by another 5-10 %,” he said.
Meanwhile, more truck owners affiliated to the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners’ Association are planning to join the national strike, seeking a revision in fuel prices, among other demands.
Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners’ Federation president R.Sugumar said the number of trucks participating in the strike will go up from 2 lakh to 3 lakh lorries on Tuesday. “We are still waiting for the Centre to initiate talks on our charter of demands,” he said.