As traders dealing with pulses and wheat products across the State stopped trading in these products for an indefinite period from Tuesday, panic gripped consumers fearing skyrocketing of prices of these products. Demanding exclusion of these products from VAT purview, the traders on the day stopped placing fresh orders and refused to sell these items to the retailers triggering a crisis in the markets.
In Malgodown, the biggest wholesaling market of the State here, hundreds of traders dealing in atta, suji, maida, besan and pulses stopped trading even as they kept their godowns open throughout the day. Many retailers from far off places, who had come down here to purchase these items, went back empty handed apprehending backlash from consumers.
“We will not trade in with these products until the State government withdraws the arbitrary five percent VAT on these items,” reiterated joint secretary of the Malgodown Traders’ Association Srikant Sahu on Tuesday. He said the neighbouring States and many other States have exempted VAT on these products. “But our State Government is still unresponsive on the issue despite our repeated pleas,” he rued.