Vizianagaram: Street vendors struggle to make ends meet

Vizianagaram: Street vendors in Vizianagaram are struggling with declined income amid corona as a lockdown is being implemented following the outbreak of coronavirus.

The locals are permitted to come on to roads and markets to purchase vegetables and other groceries in the morning up to 10 am only. Later all the shops are being closed. The police, revenue and other officials are strictly monitoring the lockdown timings and all the vegetable and fruit shops have been instructed to shut by 10 am. But the street vendors are facing huge loss due to this situation and time restriction.

Usually the pushcart vendors and other vegetable stalls used to sell the vegetables till the evening under the trees and here and there. But now they are forced to close their business sharp at 10 am. Then they again need to wait till the next morning.

K Rama Rao of Chitalavalasa, a pushcart vegetable vendor says, "I buy vegetables from wholesale market at 8 am and I am selling them for only two hours.

Previously, I used to sell vegetables worth Rs 2,000 per day and my profit would be around Rs 700-800 and now the total sale has declined to Rs 600-700 and my daily income has gone down to Rs 200 only. At the same time, vegetables like tomatoes and leafy vegetables are getting damaged as we are covering them with tarpaulin after 10 am and again opening them on next day. And half of the vegetables remain unsold due to damage," he said.

P Simhachalam, a coconut vendor said, "This summer is the right time for us to earn more by selling more nuts till the evening. I used to earn more than Rs 2,000 per day but now the sales have declined to hardly Rs 500 as the people have no time to come out and purchase coconuts. This situation would definitely hit my economic condition."

K Ramanamma, a leafy vegetable vendor, 'I purchase leaves like coriander, and other leafy vegetables and sell them in the streets. But now I lost my income as I am not permitted to enter into apartments. This is a tough time for me," she said.