The secretary of the Navi Mumbai APMC yard, AK Chavan has decided to close the fruits and vegetable markets every Thursday till March 31.
This step has been taken to sterilize the two markets due to the outbreak of coronavirus in Maharashtra. However, it will not be applied to the spices, food grains & onion markets, said the Mumbai APMC secretary, to ET.
He added that the fruit and vegetable markets are shut on Sunday. Apart from this, we have decided to keep it shut even on Thursday to secure protection for all against the deadly virus.
The shut-down would not lead to any shortage in supply as the stockists would pile sufficient inventory on the previous days to serve Mumbai. Around 500-700 trucks of vegetables and fruits arrive daily at yard, which is then spread to more than 175 acres.
Director of the fruits market at APMC, Sanjay Pansare said, “The closure could be extended until mid of April if the situation warranted.”
Expressing concern over the fallout from coronavirus, APMC fruit market commission agent, said Alfonso mangoes which worth Rs 500 crore arrived at the yard from now till June, and around 2000 traders which deal in the fruit could be impacted if the market remained shut for 2 days a week for a prolonged period.
