The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Supply of essential commodities normal

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Thursday, Jan 08, 2009
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Supply of essential commodities normal

Staff Reporter

Owners of light commercial vehicles do brisk business

No significant change in prices of foodgrains
It’s business as usual at APMC

BANGALORE: As the truckers’ nationwide strike entered the third day on Wednesday, movement of construction material and industrial produce was affected.

However, movement of essential commodities — milk, vegetables, fruits, medicine and fuel — remained unaffected. If the strike continues, dealers of these commodities fear the supply might get affected.

B.V. Narayanappa, secretary of Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners and Agents Associations, told The Hindu that there was no immediate likelihood of an amicable settlement of truckers’ demand.

No option

With the Centre adopting an aggressive stand against the truckers, they had no option but to continue with the strike. “Let the Government invoke Essential Services Maintenance Act or the National Security Act. We are prepared to go behind the bars and surrender our vehicles to the Government,” he said.

On the other hand, business was normal at the busy Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) yard in Bangalore with light commercial vehicles replacing trucks.

Prices and supply of grains had not fluctuated drastically, said Keshav Reddy, a wholesale dealer in K.R. Market. However, commodities were not leaving the city even as supplies remained unaffected, he said.

While prices of vegetables grown in and around Bangalore have come down as they cannot be transported outside, prices of vegetables being brought from outside have increased slightly. Tomato, which was sold at Rs. 16 a kg, is now being sold at Rs. 10, said another dealer.

Siddharaju, driver of a van, said: “We are getting paid almost daily. It is a good thing for us as otherwise we usually are not so busy.”

Tandava Murthy, assistant secretary of the APMC sub office at K.R. Market echoed the same view.

Decreased

Arrival of vegetables has decreased slightly by 10 per cent while not much is going out. Vegetables bound for neighbouring States are not being moved since trucks are not available.

At the Yeshwanthpur APMC, arrival of grains and other produce decreased by around 30 per cent on Wednesday.

“Small traders, who trade only for one day in a week, have been managing with small vehicles or two-wheelers. Except them, other traders and workers have been hit on a nominal scale,” said APMC president E. Krishnappa.

He said there was marginal rise in the prices of commodities, with the highest selling commodities like onion and potato seeing an increase of around 30 per cent. Onion, which normally costs around Rs. 12 to Rs. 15 a kg, today reached Rs. 15 to Rs. 18. Potato price today stood at the range of of Rs. 11 to Rs. 16, whereas it used to cost Rs. 8 to Rs. 12 on normal days.

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