Our Reporter
Dimapur, March 18 (EMN): The practice of social distancing amidst rising fear of Covid-19 by the public has led to a drastic dip in sales of essential commodities and is affecting commercial businesses and markets, even in a state like Nagaland.
Speaking to Eastern Mirror, a vegetable vendor at New Market in Dimapur said that her stall had taken a hit as the number of customers has drastically decreased over the past two days due to the fear of the novel coronavirus.
“I used to sell 50- 60 kg of tomatoes per day. Now that has gone down to 10 kg,” she said, adding that at this rate, she might have to give up selling vegetables, as there were no customers.
She stated it was not only the number of customers that has decreased, but also the prices of the commodities that have taken a drastic hit. She said that vendors have been forced to sell green beans, which was sold for INR 50-60 per kg in the past week, for as low as INR 20-25.
Another vendor said that there was a mammoth decrease in the prices of commodities, especially local organic vegetables. She informed that she now suffers from huge loss as her vegetable products, which she sold at a much higher rate during the normal days, were being sold at half price.
Interestingly, the price of onion that had soared to over INR 140 a few months ago, has now come down to INR 30 per kg.