Valpoi: Many Goans, who are into catering business, are in a fix as their customers, who had placed catering orders with them for various functions, have started cancelling the same in the wake of the state government issuing restrictions over coronavirus.

The Union health ministry has directed that all mass functions, including seminars and conferences, be cancelled in the wake of coronavirus cases being reported from different parts of the country. In effect of this, the instructions are being followed in the state as well.

Some caterers are also staring at losses as they had stocked up vegetables, chicken and other food items in view of the orders they had with them. Now, with the government coming out with instructions over the coronavirus, people have been either rescheduling their functions or cancelling them entirely.

Functions like weddings and parties are being postponed and this has directly affected many caterers.

One such caterer from Valpoi said that “it is not just about people staying away from crowded places, some customers are also keeping away from chicken and non-vegetable items.”

“I have noticed a 15-20 per cent drop in the demand for non-vegetarian dishes even though there is no evidence of the virus spreading through cooked food,” said the local caterer. He further said that with the government restrictions on weddings until March 31, his business will take a hit as many Muslim weddings are scheduled during the remaining two weeks of the month and there are chances of cancellation of orders.

When contacted All Goa Caterers Association’s Pradosh Amonkar over the phone, he said most of the clients have either postponed their functions or are in the process of cancelling the same with the government restrictions on mass gatherings.

“The number of people expected to attend scheduled parties and other functions is likely to drop and the customers are also asking for reducing their order size,” Amonkar said. When asked how the industry as a whole will be affected, Amonkar said that “I have already spoken to my colleagues in the business and they say the catering industry will be affected.”

“Functions of Hindu and Christians will commence in full-fledge from mid-April, which will be the season for our industry but looking at the prevailing situation clients may limit the number of invitees or even cancel the orders placed with the caterers,” he said.

He said that the clients are complaining that they cannot do shopping related to their functions, including weddings, due to several curbs everywhere and, hence, planning to postpone their functions, which will in turn affect the catering business.

Another caterer said that he had stocked up vegetables and other items for the season as there was news of Karnataka and Maharashtra governments restricting the interstate truck movement, but now the Goa government has invoked Epidemic Act and with restrictions on mass gatherings, the catering business is going to suffer.