A dog in the manger: Mini lockdowns hurt farmers, push up vegetable prices

Green vegetables have to hit the market in a day, but the fresh lockdown will upend the system. “This will mean lower prices for farmers, but consumers will have to pay more,” says Patit Paban De, member of the West Bengal Cold Storage Association.

As cities and states reimpose localised mini lockdowns to control the spread of the contagion, fruit and vegetable suppliers worry about the impact on their businesses. 

Essential supplies have been kept out of the purview, but traders feel if distribution channels are frequently disrupted, this could lead to price escalation and damage, given most have limited