Coimbatore: While the indefinite strike called by truck operators entered the third day on Sunday, merchants at the wholesale vegetable market on Mettupalayam Road where trucks carrying vegetables from states such as Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat unload produce and carry produce to Kerala,
say the strike has not affected their business.
Merchants said the inflow of vegetables has not been affected despite the strike. They reasoned that the trucks, which had gone to other states to unload goods, brought goods on the return trips. However, trucks from Tamil Nadu had stayed away from roads in Karnataka border, they said.
The number of trucks reaching the market had not decreased in the three days, said Mohammed Mubarak, a wholesale commission merchant. “As many as 150 trucks carrying goods arrive here a day as usual. The market, on an average, trades 600 tonnes of onions a day even now,” he told TOI.
In spite of the uninterrupted inflow, the prices of vegetables have increased by an average of two to three rupees in the last two days, merchants said. “The wholesale price of Bellary onions has gone up to Rs 20 per kg from Rs 18, the price of potatoes has gone up to Rs 22 from Rs 20 and the price of tomatoes has touched Rs 25 from Rs 19,” a merchant said.
However, representatives of the State Lorry Owners Federation said the strike had been a success and 95% of the trucks stayed off roads. “About 5% trucks might be operating. But they too will participate in the indefinite strike,” said C Dhanaraj, secretary of the State Lorry Owners Federation.
