Lorry strike ends on day 2, price of veggies, pulses soars

Traders raise apprehension and say that price of vegetable and other essential commodities will skyrocket in the next two days, as lorries and trucks will move only on Wednesday. 

According to traders, since the number of lorries and trucks approaching Koyambedu market declined steadily, it has led to increase in the prices of vegetables and pulses. 

Vegetables are sold at high prices in retail shops. This has inconvenienced consumers and small vendors. Some of the retail shop vendors have been purchasing vegetables only to a bare minimum.

“Whenever lorry owners go on strike, we face hardships. We are then forced to spend more to purchase vegetables and pulses. During these times, only minimum number of customers buy veggies,” said V Kalaiyarasan, a retail shop vendor of Aminjikarai market. 

V R Soundararajan, advisor of Koyambedu Wholesale Traders Association, said that the strike has paved way for price rise in Koyambedu. 

“Prices of small onion have increased to Rs 100 from Rs 70, while rate of drumsticks has gone up to Rs 110 from Rs 60. 

Similarly, cost of other vegetables has slightly increased,” he said and added that consumers might suffer for the next few days, as lorries and trucks would leave for other districts and states to load vegetables and pulses on Wednesday. Meanwhile, lorry owners’ association members say that the strike has come to an end. 

R Sugumar, president of Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Federation said, “Union road transport ministry held talks with representatives of lorry owners’ associations and submitted a memorandum, after which strike was withdrawn at 6 pm on Tuesday.”