The biggest wholesale market of the State at Malgodown wore a deserted look on Friday as the traders here stopped procuring essential grocery products like edible oil, sugar, wheat products like flour, suji, maida and all varieties of pulses from other States.
Joining the strike called by All Odisha Traders’ Association against what they called imposition of “exorbitant” and “uncalled” for VAT on these products by the State Government, the Malgodown traders have decided not to procure them henceforth.
“The trade in these products will continue till the existing stocks last,” said an executive member of the traders’ association of Malgodown, adding that the stocks in godowns would last for a week or so.
Retailers elsewhere depending on Malgodown fear that these essential products would vanish from the markets soon and whatever little will be available till then, will be sold at a premium.
“Wheat products and pulses, which are procured from outside the State, invite a VAT of five percent here,” said a trader, Prakash Panda, adding that most of the States do not levy any VAT or a maximum of one per cent on wheat products and pulses. It may be mentioned here that the State’s traders have been demanding withdrawal of VAT.