Lockdown hits fruit vendors hard in Vizianagaram district

Vizianagaram: Lockdown has drastically hit the livelihood of fruit vendors and small traders. They have lost their income.

Vendors used to have roaring business during the hot summer by selling the ice apples (tati munjalu).

Jami, Kothavalasa, L Kota, S Kota, Vizianagaram, Bondapalli, Gajapathinagaram are some mandals have mango orchards. Though huge quantity of mangoes are exported to Nagapur, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Raipur, the small-times vendors purchase the mangoes from wholesale traders and sell them on pushcarts.

With the police restricting the movement of street vendors, their livelihood has been threatened. They are not allowed to sell fruit beyond 10 am.

Vendors sell the ice apples in the streets under the trees. A small-time vendor used to earn around Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per day during April-May.

K Appanna of Annamarajupeta, said, "I am deprived of livelihood. Previously I used to earn around Rs 1,300 per day. Now, there is no income. So, I am simply distributing the palm fruits in my village and not taking them to the towns."

K Ramananna, a vendor from Alamanda village under Jami mandal, who has been selling mangoes at Vizianagaram railway station said, "I have been selling different types of mangoes for the past 30 years. I buy the mangoes at wholesale price and after ripening, I sell them in streets. Now, there is no chance to step out of the house."