It was a scene of confused buyers, anxious farmers and angry wholesalers at Chennai’s biggest vegetable market, the Koyambedu market, on Friday. As a result, over 2,000 tonnes of vegetables and a majority of the fruits are now languishing in the markets unsold, say vegetable and fruit sellers.
They attribute this to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority’s (CMDA) sudden announcement of issuing tokens to all those who enter the markets. Vehicles queued for upto a kilometre outside the market complex early on Friday morning, unable to enter and unable to leave as well, as their livelihood depended on it.
Speaking to TNM, Rajasekaran Duraisamy, the Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex Periyar Kaikari Angadi Anaithu Sangankalin Kootamaipu (the federation of association of sellers) President explains that the CMDA announced that only those with tokens can enter and make purchases at the market and only wholesale buyers were able to do so, leaving thousands of small-scale sellers and hawkers in the lurch.
“About 10,000 two-wheelers come into the market daily. These are grocery shop owners, street hawkers and small-scale pushcart sellers. All of them were denied permission on Friday,” he says and adds, “Koyambedu market gets about 6,000 tonnes of vegetables on a daily basis. Today, because of this confusion, about 2,000 tonnes is lying waste.”
He continues, “The rates of vegetables sold today was unlike any other day. Tomatoes sold for Rs 5 and Rs 7 per kilo. Carrot, beetroot, brinjal sold for Rs 10 per kilo. Just yesterday the rates were around Rs 20 to Rs 25, can you imagine?”
Notably, the Chennai Corporation had announced earlier that only wholesalers and not retailers can enter the market, in order to reduce crowds. Despite this, crowds have not abated in the market area. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in this regard has been filed by the Gerugambakkam Locality Traders Welfare Association with the Madras High Court. The court has directed the government to file its response.
CMDA told TNM that a counter-affidavit is being prepared.
Speaking to TNM, Chennai Fruits Commission Agents Association President Srinivasan throws some light on why the authorities were forced to come up with this announcement. “People do not have awareness. They come here like a family picnic with children just to buy a few kilos of fruits and vegetables. Social distancing is forgotten,” he says.
While ASK Kannan, who runs Amman Kani Angadi, a fruit stall in the market, agrees, he points out that as a result, thousands of small buyers were affected. “People don’t have business as usual. Now we can see auto drivers, flower sellers, spinach sellers, cobblers, etc turning into pushcart and basket sellers of fruits and vegetables. And this has also increased the number of people coming in to buy fruits and vegetables from the market. This is the kind of crowd we get during festivals like Ayudha Pooja and Pongal. Now, everyday is like a festival,” he says.
A meeting was held on Friday with traders’ union members in Koyambedu, the CMDA and the police to arrive at a possible solution to the issue.
As a result, those coming in two-wheelers to stock up load will have to finish business by 7.00 am. The bigger sellers and wholesalers can come in after 7 am.
Speaking to TNM, an official from CMDA says, “We have sorted it out and streamlined everything. There was a representation from small buyers. They can come and go smoothly, they won’t be harassed.”
On being asked about the short-notice given to small buyers earlier, the authority says that the solution has made everyone happy now. He reiterates, “The only thing we want to drive home is that the public need not come here, they can buy from their nearest market.”