Supplies dry up as kiranas cater to last-minute buyers amid Covid-19 scare

Pharmacies in Mumbai and Delhi are also struggling to replenish stocks of hand wash, hand sanitizers and shampoos.

Kirana stores in and around the Santacruz and Chembur areas of Mumbai are stocked for now. But only just. The situation is no different in cities like Delhi and Gurugram.
 

As last-minute shoppers pick up groceries from bread to flour, soaps to noodles, anticipating longer shutdowns, Suresh Kiranawala, the proprietor of one of the corner shops in the Santacruz east area, says his inventory will be exhausted soon.
 

“I normally keep stocks for about eight days in my store. But since the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, stocks have exhausted quickly, forcing me to seek replenishment every two to three days. New