Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Apr 30: The state government has imposed lot of restrictions on the movement of transport vehicles in tune with the curfew imposed by it. As a result, the transportation of fruits, vegetables and other essential goods has been hit. Moreover, the rainfall that is experienced at several places sporadically also is affecting the crops. As a net result, prices of vegetables and fruits are going up each day. The consumers are feeling the pinch of the hike in prices.

The town has only a few fruits and vegetables merchants. As such, none of the wholesale fruits and vegetable transportation trucks come here. The merchants from here therefore are compelled to go to the APMC market at Adi Udupi and procure the items needed by them.

The town used to get fruits and vegetables from Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Belagavi and other places. The merchants also used to get fruits and vegetables from the Brahmavar market. But now the town is not getting these things from outside.

People complain that the merchants, having been aware that the people are helpless because of COVID restrictions, have been jacking up the prices of essentials. But the merchants explain that they have to go to Udupi to bring these items, and they have added only the transportation cost, wages paid to workers, wastage cost etc to the price. They say that because of rain, vegetables like green chilli, carrot, cauliflower and cabbages rot and therefore their prices automatically go skyward. In Udupi market, prices have gone up as only four to five wholesalers come there because of coronavirus instead of 15 to 20 as in the past. This has put pressure on smaller quantities of goods available and higher demand. The merchants say they have to pay exorbitant prices for items at Udupi.

Because of lack of buses, farmers living in far off villages who grow vegetables are unable to bring their goods here for sale. The farmers sell their goods at a low price locally lest their products go waste.