The normally buzzing KR Market in Bengaluru on Friday was functioning, albeit at a lower scale than it usually is. The Karnataka government has denied rumours on social media that KR Market, the city’s main vegetables, fruit and other perishables market, is shut
KR Market saw less stalls, and customers walked around with handkerchiefs tied across their faces. However, the vendors did not have any such precautions.
Some supermarkets in the city are doing thermal screening for its customers, before allowing them in. They are also giving alcohol to customers to sanitise their hands. KR Market had no such precautionary measures. Although the market wasn’t as crowded as it normally is, customers and vendors failed to practice social distancing.
“Such things (coronavirus) don’t affect us. And we have to sell. What will we do with it (vegetables) if it rots?” asked one merchant. Many other sellers, especially in the fruit market, were faced with rotting produce, with not many buyers as there are usually. There was no question of panic buying here, instead, there was a problem of excess.
There was no steep hike noticed in the market, or any drop in prices. Normal market prices prevailed.
Some of the vendors in the market requested people to buy more because they wanted to get rid of stock due to low footfall, and were happy to give discounts. One seller of Hopcoms (Horticulture Producers’ Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society) fresh juice asked people visiting his stall to take some bottles of juice home.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech on Thursday evening had requested the country to not indulge in panic buying. In his speech, he assured the citizens of India that there is enough food in the country for all of them. The Prime Minister was forced to make this statement after reports emerged that there were people buying excess essential items in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. In his speech, he said, “Buy things as you did before. Panic buying is not right, don't do it.”