The ongoing nationwide stir of the truckers which entered the fifth day on Monday has had straight impact on the prices of various consumables in the State and has again laid bare the dependability on the supplier States.
Vegetables and grocery items that are imported from the neighbouring States like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, besides Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have gone pricy within a couple of days and it is apprehended that unless crackdowns are taken against hoarders and black marketers, the situation could well spin out of control.
Unable to meet the demand with the available stocks, the State now faces an inflationary situation with the poor and middle class consumers bearing the brunt of the sudden spurt in the price of daily consumable items.
Potato which was sold at `10 a kg two days ago queered pitch and went for `20 a kg. Most of the retail vegetable markets in Bhubaneswar gave a jerk in the three time jump in the price of tuber.
It was a reminder of the tuber crisis of the past and unpredictable rise in price of tuber due to supply cutoff from WB and other States to Odisha.
The shortfall in whole sellers’ market was a shot in the arms for the hoarders and black marketers who readily grabbed the opportunity in both hands and created artificial scarcity so as to earn a fast buck.
State Byabasayi Sangha secretary Sudhakar Panda said the truckers’ strike is to be blamed for shortage of all sorts of consumables in the State.
He said that the price of dal could rise further if the stir continues.
Meanwhile, hundreds of trucks are stranded in Baleswar since Thursday while the perishable items loaded on the trucks have started stinking.
Odisha Truck Owners Federation general secretary Rabi Narayan Satapathy said the strike would continue till their demands are fulfilled.