APMCs across India worry about workers, traders health over Covid-19 curfew

Vegetable mandis complaint of lower off-take and glut, grains closed or staggered operations

Mandis across Maharashtra and Gujarat are grappling to meet daily needs in essential items such as fruits and vegetables, as well as food grains, amid safety of workers and traders.

Given the lockdown, smaller commodities such as spices and others have decided to remain close till March 31. In northern India, vegetable mandis have been complaining of lower offtake, in line with mandis in western India.

The Maharashtra government has said all vegetable shops and kirana stores will remain exempt from the lockdown order. The issue of safety and health of workers and traders are being addressed, with increased sanitisation, etc.

Traders in