Vijayawada: Little relief for business activity in coastal districts

Vijayawada: Though the State and Union governments are giving relaxation in Green Zone areas for business activity between 10 am and 7 pm, traders are unable to take advantage of it because of non-supply of goods by wholesale dealers and stockists in cities like Vijayawada and Guntur.

Both Vijayawada and Guntur are in the Red Zones and total wholesale business activity has remained crippled for more than 45 days. Future looks grim for the wholesale traders, dealers and agents of reputed companies as coronavirus cases are regularly reported from the cities like Vijayawada and Guntur. Traders in the towns, mandal centres and semi-urban areas depend on the cities to get goods.

But, due to lockdown the wholesale traders and dealers of reputed companies are not able to transport the goods to towns and cities. Retail traders of four districts-- Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and West Godavari-- depend on the wholesale traders in Vijayawada for supply of goods and commodities. Most of the wholesale shops related to automobile spares, hardware, sanitary ware, textiles, gold and jewellery shops, plastic goods, stationery, books are located in Vijayawada.

Vijayawada is in the Red Zone and almost all wholesale shops, dealers and C and F agents have closed down their shops due to lockdown for the last 45 days. Moreover, Hamalis and workers are also not willing to come to the shops for the work due to fear of Coronavirus as well as the police restrictions.

Business worth several thousand crores has been affected in Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and West Godavari districts. Most of the reputed agencies are located in Bhavanipuram wholesale market in Vijayawada. Due to Covid-19 positive cases reported in Bhavanipuram and Vidyadharapuram, almost all shops remained closed. Only a few shops are opened that too for three hours from 6 am to 9 am. K Ramesh, a wholesale trader in Bhavanipuram, said summer is the peak season for functions, marriages and other events and there is no business for 45 days. He said the traders have to pay rents and wages to the workers in spite of the lockdown and losing income. He said the future looks bleak as the Covid-19 positive cases are reported in Vijayawada and it will take a lot of time to change the Red Zone into Green Zone.

Vijayawada is well known for the wholesale business in electrical goods, home appliances, furniture, electronic goods, fancy items, decorative, medical etc. But, due to lockdown the trading activity totally crippled, said P Subhash Chandra Bose, wholesale dealer of furniture materials. He said furniture traders from many towns, cities and mandal centres of four districts are asking for the supply of furniture but the traders in Vijayawada are not able to open the shops due to Red zone restrictions. Vijayawada is also famous for printing business, books and stationery business. April and May are the busiest months for the sale of stationery materials and books. But the traders are not able to do the business, said K Subbarao, a wholesale trader in One Town.