SHILLONG: Transportation of important agricultural produce like broomsticks and bay leaves from the regulated market at Mawiong received a setback in view of the lockdown.
During a visit to the market on Thursday, a trader, Amarinder Tiwari, told The Shillong Times that though the business continues, the value for the products has decreased.
The main reason is the difficulty with regard to the transportation of produce though there is enough quantity of broomsticks and bay leaves.
“Because of the current situation, the rate of broomstick has gone down to Rs 50-52 per kilo from the earlier price of Rs 62-65 per kilo. Quantity is more but the price is low”, he added.
Tiwari said the broomsticks from the state are taken to Mumbai, Gujarat, Hyderabad, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, Kanpur, Bhopal, Kolkata and other cities. “Broomsticks from the state are available all over India”, he added.
The labourers at the broomstick godown were busy weighing the produce of 50 kilo each. The workers first neatly kept them in sacks to be loaded in a truck.
Other agricultural produce stored in the godown besides broomsticks and bay leaves are wild pepper and cinnamon.
The broomstick labourers get Rs 800-1200 per week for 7 hours of work a day. “We are getting our daily wage”, a labourer said.
However, the labourers are facing difficulty as those who are staying far away are unable to come to work due to the lockdown except those who are staying in and around Mawlai Mawiong and those who have their own cars.
Balram Shah, in-charge of a godown said, “Those from rural areas are not coming and this is affecting the work”.
He said the amount of broomstick transported outside the state is currently 10-11 tonnes compared to 25-30 tonnes before the lockdown and at present 3-4 tonnes of bay leaves are transported. However, during the pre-lockdown days, 5-6 tonnes were transported.
While the broomsticks are brought from Pynursla, Jowai and other areas, the bay leaves are from the War region of the Khasi-Jaintia Hills.
A lady identified as M. Nongsiej, who was busy sorting out the bay leaves, said that the labourers did not come to work for one month due to the lockdown. When asked, she said in a week the labourers earn Rs 800-Rs 900.
She said the work started sometime last week but there are many who have not come to work as they are staying far away.
A labourer who stays in Mawngap, A. Kharsohnoh, said that he took his own vehicle to come to work.
Nongsiej said it takes close to one hour or more to sort out the bay leaves and in a day she finishes over 3-4 sacks. The leaves are then emptied into sacks and then the male labourers carry them to trucks.
He added that the labourers are taught about social distancing. It is also mandatory for them to wear masks.
