Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Apr 9: The curb on entry of goods vehicles in order to contain the Covid-19 pandemic has badly hit the supply of fresh vegetables as well as meat and fish in the state.
Following the ban on importing vegetables, fruits, fish and chicken from Assam by the district administrations in the entire state, the items have completely gone out of stock in the markets. The only items available in the markets are potatoes and onions.
In the capital complex, people can be seen queuing up at stores in order to buy onions and potatoes in the absence of fresh vegetables.
Except for a handful of local women vendors who sell a few local greens in a few localities, there are no fresh vegetables available anywhere in the markets.
According to the vegetable vendors, the ban on transportation of fresh vegetables has severely affected the supply.
“There has not been any supply for almost a week now. All the remaining stocks which I had were sold out a few days before the district administration’s order was issued. I had hoped that the vehicles carrying fresh supplies would continue nonetheless. However, it has all stopped,” said a vendor in Naharlagun.
Customers are also complaining about the shortage.
“The few vegetables I had with me got over a few days back. Now all I can get from the market is potatoes. The home delivery services have also run out of stock and all we can get are commodities like rice, flour, oil, etc. Supply of these items has thankfully not been affected,” said a woman.
The home delivery services in the capital complex have also confirmed that fresh vegetables and poultry have gone out of stock due to the ban.
“There is no supply in the market. We have our own stock but not much, although we have a lot of potatoes, rice, pulses and onions. However, other stocks of perishable items are quickly drying up,” informed UTellUs CEO Dhanan Morang.
Online home delivery service provider, Dukandada, which has been busy serving customers for many days, also informed that they are unable to deliver fresh vegetables due to the complete halt on their supply.
“They have suspended the import of vegetables as they suspect that they might be contaminated. We usually keep our own stock, but now there is none. We are also unable to provide pet foods, poultry, meat, etc,” Dukandada’s proprietor Doni Riba said.
Meanwhile, according to the authorities, the ban is not going to be lifted any time soon and the people may have to face the shortage for some more days. They informed, however, that vehicles carrying vegetables might be allowed to enter in between gaps of two-three days to address the shortage.
