As many as 29 unions and associations of various fruit, flower and vegetable wholesalers staged a two-hour protest against the Centre’s decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail. Staged at the Koyambedu market complex on Wednesday, the protest was slightly diluted because of the reasonably thin numbers. Considering the fact the there were associations from Periyar Market, Moore Market Complex and Kothavalchavadi amongst others, the numbers were lesser than anticipated. One of the secretaries of a vegetable association anonymously revealed, “The police warned us not to gather in large numbers and create a commotion today. It was implied that they would get very strict with our transport and sales, so many people stayed away.”
And yet, the black flags and slogans raised against FDI were as energetic and genuine as it could get. Surprisingly, most of the dealers who stayed on the periphery of the protest knew little about FDI or how it would affect them. Murugan, who deals with spinach transport explained, “The way I understand it, in addition to local supermarkets buying from the farmers co-operatives directly, now foreign supermarkets will begin to do that. So our roles will be lost, no?” Though not entirely sure about how much the move would affect his livelihood, he remains convinced that it will be the “end”.
While this seems to be the view that most wholesalers and retail vendors are convinced about, a few like Kanniammal, who runs two fruit stalls where figs and apples are the mainstay, believe that the retail business is something that will keep going on. “When the supermarkets opened, they said that we would lose business,” she said, “As the apple rates and demand have climbed, my sales have also improved. I cannot complain. As long as they (foreign shops) don’t ask me to vacate my stalls in the Koyambedu market, I really don’t mind what else they do,” she said.
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