Covid-19 restrictions are hampering Maharashtra mango traders in their sales; traders are demanding an extension of the present time slot to ensure smooth sales. In the meantime, some growers have, however, made use of direct marketing chains they experimented with last year for better sales.
In view of the rising number of Covid-19 cases, Maharashtra has imposed severe restrictions under which all shops and establishments dealing with non-essential commodities have been closed. Sale of essential commodities, including milk, vegetables and fruits, have been allowed to be open from 7 am to 11 am. Barring milk and medical shops, all other establishments are closed over the weekend to stop the chain of transmission. Recently, the state government has allowed the sale of mangoes, eggs, chicken and meat during the weekend, given their highly perishable nature.
As explained on indianexpress.com, for mango traders, this slot has come with a new set of challenges. They said the four-hour window was non-conducive as most buyers were unable to get to the market on time.
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