Team Herald
PANJIM: Gudi Padwa was celebrated indoors with people confined to their homes. Market was locked down. Supplies to the retailers by the distributors were snapped as no one was willing to move for work primarily for three reasons: Prime Minister Modi’s address to the nation, fear of getting infected and imposition of curfew and police intervention.
No business, no sale and essential goods remained locked in various warehouses. The traders, retailers and distributors and even suppliers kept waiting for clarity from the government, while customers on the other hand remained locked in their respective homes.
When asked about the losses faced by the distributors amidst the crisis, Chetan Kapdi, General Secretary of All Goa FMCG and Telecom Distributors Association informed Herald that, “Losses are the last thing, which we are looking at right now. We are looking forward to the Chief Minister who can guide us how to contribute in some way. It is a 21-day lockdown and retailers, too, for sure will not be having stock for that long as they generally buy stock from us for a week. This time there was panic buying too, which means shelves should be empty by now. How do we replenish it even if we want to?”
Salim Isani, who is a distributer from Mapusa for groceries items such as papad etc, is still unable to gauge the loss incurred till now due to no sale or distribution on Wednesday.
“I cannot say now. The problem is that we have to pay bank interests and manufacturing companies for where we get our items from. So our money is in the market, and if the market closes down we suffer a lot and in big volume some times to the tune of Rs one crore and over. We will only get to know about our losses when retailers will not pay us. It is a chain and at the moment the chain is broken.”
ITC dealer which includes Ashirwad Atta etc, Vishant Pankar is worried because his staff is not willing to come to work. “The imposed curfew has further compounded our problem. Also coming out of homes is becoming difficult. Government says that grocery stores should remain open and we are the suppliers but we cannot move. Their shelves are empty and in that entire chain we as distributers, play a very critical role. We have the stock but it is of no use now. Many of our items are perishable goods and we are worried and government must come out with an economic package for us very soon.”
Samarth Talaulikar, a wholesaler in rice and other essential items in Margao, has kept his establishment closed as his staff has not come to work.
“I supply to many institutions, hotels and since many weddings and events have been called off and hotel occupancy is less than five per cent there are no orders. Also at this moment to supply goods is also becoming very difficult due to the curfew. I still have not been able to calculate the loss because the Lent period is on and also the financial year-end is close by and for us anyways it is like off-season for us and business is not much.”
