The spokesman of Siliguri Merchants Association, Sujit Bose said that the association members had sold 240 truckloads of food and essentials to Darjeeling hills and Sikkim during the past three days.
This included rice, wheat products, edible oil, pulses and spices, 70 per cent of which went to Sikkim. The rush of buyers was maximum on June 14. Merchants had to keep their shutters open till midnight for supplying the essentials, Bose said.
The Regulated Market Merchants' United Forum had sold around 80 truckloads of fruits, vegetables and fish, worth over Rs 1.75 crore yesterday, which was a record for a single day of business in the market.
The secretary of the forum Tapan Saha said that potatoes and onions were the two items which the hill people preferred to stock during the indefinite bandh that resumed at 6 pm yesterday.
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However, the merchants are not happy with business. Bose said "though it was a huge business on the last three days, we are not happy as we have to sit idle till the bandh is lifted or any further recess is announced."