Supply lines get squeezed raising the spectre of commodity shortage in State

For households and business in Kerala, the indefinite nation-wide strike by lorry operators that started on Friday has raised the spectre of a steep rise in commodity prices in the run-up to Onam festival and shopping season.

Traders at the iconic market at Chalai here were also not ruling out an imminent shortage of provision, as the supply of essential goods freighted from other States to Kerala by road has started to get increasingly squeezed. The situation was similar in other commercial hubs. Kerala, a predominantly consumer State, relies heavily on commodity imports from the rest of the country.

Pottivelu Subramaniam, the owner of one of the oldest trading houses in Kerala, said he foresaw a shortage of rice, wheat, edible oil, sugar, egg, poultry, pulses and vegetables if the strike continued into the next week. “Our only recourse, sadly, will be to put no stock boards,” he said.

Sugar shortage

He said sugar shortage might hit the State first because few traders stock the commodity in bulk given the low margin of profit.

Another immediate fall out could be a steep hike in the price of egg, poultry, pulses, milk and vegetables. Some traders said several lorry drivers were willing to run the gauntlet of strikers for extortionate rates. However, many were loath to employ them for it would mean overcharging consumers.

The lorries coming into Kerala now were those that had left Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with cargo well before the strike commenced. The supply of cooking gas could also get hit if the stalemate between the Centre and truck operators remained unresolved.

The protest for reduced fuel prices, lesser third-party motor insurance premium and a sizeable cut-back on road toll would ultimately upset the family budget and sent restaurant and mess charges on an upward spiral.

The All India Motor Transport Congress, which has initiated the protest, said nearly two-lakh lorries ferrying essential commodities into Kerala had stopped running.