Coronavirus lockdown: APMC market reopens, not enough staff to help traders

While the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) wholesale market started operations in phases on Thursday, traders complained that there was a shortage of

While the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) wholesale market started operations in phases on Thursday, traders complained that there was a shortage of labourers to unload goods at their warehouses.

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Vishal Sethia, a wholesale trader of pulses, said that only three of the 19 labourers working at his godown reached the market on Thursday. “There is panic among their families and rightly so. Some are restricted by police while most have left for their villages,” he said.

He added that opening the market is dangerous. “So many people come to the markets, where is the question of social distancing here?” said the trader.

Another trader, Yuvraj Bhandari, who deals in rice and pulses at the market, said that none of the eight labourers working under him could reach to work. “Without labourers, we can’t run the shops. Even if 50% turn up by Monday, we can continue with the work, otherwise it is going to be very difficult to run the market,” he said.

“With transport shut, the labourers cannot come back from their villages. I did not open my shop today,” said Uman Sejpal, a wholesale trader.

Sejpal added that in the last 10 days, he would have done business akin to a month. “There is panic buying everywhere. However, there is no shortage of food supplies,” he said.

Last week, the traders had announced that the market will be shut from March 25 to 31. However, following a day-long discussion with authorities on Wednesday, it was decided to open the market in phases from Thursday.