In Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the current drivers' strike has led vegetable traders to encounter logistical challenges. Anticipating escalated prices from the strike, traders stockpiled vegetables, but now confront reduced prices due to surplus. Vegetable prices recently escalated due to monsoon conditions, but declined by Friday as the strike halted transportation to outlying districts.
Typically, Bhubaneswar handles 50 to 60 truckloads and Cuttack 20 to 25 truckloads of vegetables daily, each carrying approximately 25 tons. These supplies extend to neighboring districts such as Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, and Ganjam, with additional stock reaching Dhenkanal, Angul, and Bhadrak.
The agitation has not disrupted the inflow of vegetables from regions like Karnataka, West Bengal, and Maharashtra. However, distribution beyond Bhubaneswar and Cuttack remains stalled. Santosh Swain, a city wholesaler, noted, "The supply is now more than the demand. While incoming trucks face no issues entering Bhubaneswar, we're unable to send the produce to other districts. The stock is piling up, and cutting down supply means a direct loss."
This situation led to pointed gourd, procured from West Bengal at $0.32 per kg, selling at $0.24 per kg in the wholesale market. Meanwhile, onion and ginger shortages persist in Puri. Vegetables from Karnataka like cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, capsicum, cucumber, and beans are in surplus but are selling below profit margins, usually under $0.36 per kg.
Conversely, local crops, including brinjal, okra, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, and snake gourd, retain high prices due to monsoon impacts. These crops face rain susceptibility with an 80-day harvest cycle, sustaining elevated prices through July and August.
Source: New Indian Express
