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No more tears for onion traders

No more tears for onion traders

A section of wholesale onion traders of Gandhi Market on Wednesday started business operations from their own private market at Ariyamangalam in the city after the district authorities and the police intervened to extend security.

The traders, who had built and opened their own market last month, were unable to start operations at the facility owing to a dispute between rival groups of labourers.

The opening of the market, Tiruchi All Perishables Commission Mandis Commercial Complex, came in the wake of the district administration’s attempt to shift all wholesale traders of Gandhi Market to the Central Market for Vegetables, Flowers and Fruits built by the government at Kallikudi on the outskirts of the city.

While a majority of traders, who have been allotted shops at Kallikudi market, are still reluctant to move in there, the onion wholesale traders who had bought shops at the private market at Ariyamangalam were ready to shift.

But they could not do so as labourers, who have long been hired by them while whey they were functioning on Sub-Jail Road, vociferously protested against a new set of labourers being provided jobs at the Ariyamangalam market. The traders offered to hire 50% of labourers from each of the rival groups, but the labourers who had been working at Sub Jail Road did not agree to the suggestion.

On Wednesday, a group of the traders met Collector K.Rajamani and sought the district administration’s support to commence business at Ariyamangalam market. Later in the day, a strong posse of police was posted at the market. Over 110 labourers, who had worked at Sub-Jail Road, attempted to picket the market but were taken into custody by the police. Police pickets were also posted in the area.

A.Thangaraj, general secretary, Tiruchi Onion Commission Mandi Traders' Association, told The Hindu in the evening that about 50 traders had started business at the new market. About 20 lorry loads of Bellary onion and about five loads of small onions arrived at the market. They had hired 172 labourers owing allegiance to Loading Unloading Labourers Union of Tiruchi for loading and unloading operations.

The price of onions, which had gone up over the past few days, Mr.Thangaraj said, came down on Wednesday. The price of small onions fell by Rs. 10 over Tuesday’s prices to be sold at Rs. 50 a kg on Wednesday and the price of Bellary onions came down by Rs. 2 to rule at around Rs. 18 a kg, he said.

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