local grocers from Dehradun are bearing the brunt of the currency recall move with the sale-volume involving essentials like rice, pulse and flour having dipped substantially. The customers are buying things in small quantities for day-to-day consumption, said Aman Choudhary, a grocer trading from Arhat Bazar, adding that the prices of the edible essentials like rice, pulses and flour have remained the same as they were prior to the demonetisation move.
When this correspondent visited Arhat Bazar he found very few buyers roaming about the market. Arun Gupta, a grocer, looked gloomy. “Very few people are turning up to purchase the essential edibles like rice, oil and pluses in the aftermath of the demonetisation move. Those who are coming are choosing to purchase less than half of grocery items they used to purchase before the move triggered the acute cash crunch,” he said.
Asked whether the prices of the essentials have surged up post demonetisation drive, he answered in the negative. “It is unlikely that the prices would go up. If they go up further the number of buyers would come down correspondingly. People are buying items very cautiously and in small quantities unlike the earlier time when they used to go for the month’s requirement, something whose pinch we, all, are feeling here,” he added.
Another grocer from the same market Manish Verma echoed the same, saying that their sale has plummeted by 40 percent. “Previously you could see hundreds thronging the market around this time. Now, the number has come down substantially. They are buying the essentials and that too in meager quantities. They are rarely going for the non-essentials like the dry fruits. Consequently, the sale volume of raisin and other dry fruits has dipped,” he said.
He further said that they were facing difficulties on account of the acute shortage of smaller currencies. “The customers are paying us in 2000 rupee notes against purchase of items worth `200 or `300. How can we give them the changesIJ” he asked.
Ramesh Gupta, another grocer, said that he used to give groceries worth `30,000 on credit daily to the grocers selling things in the local groceries. “They are not paying us now. Rather they are demanding more on credits. We can understand their predicament, given the cash crunch. However, the amount is mounting. Our situation is grim,” he said.
Another grocer Ashfaq Ahmed trading from his shop at Sahastradhara Road said that they are in deep crisis. “Things are grim despite the fact that the wedding season is on. We are looking up to the `500 currencies reaching the people. Things might look up a bit when the people get hold of such notes,” he said.