Coronavirus scare: Panic buying in Ludhiana, other parts of state

“We were witnessing 10 to 20 per cent increase in sale in the past few days but Thursday people came in large numbers,” said Balwant Rai, the owner of the Mani Ram Balwant Rai store in the city.

Rush at a grocery store to purchase ration in Ludhiana on Thursday.

Grocery stores in Ludhiana saw a huge rush on Thursday ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s address to the nation that was broadcast at 8 pm in the evening.

“We were witnessing 10 to 20 per cent increase in sale in the past few days but Thursday people came in large numbers,” said Balwant Rai, the owner of the Mani Ram Balwant Rai store in the city.

The Indian Express saw a huge rush at the store, with customers having to wait for 30 minutes to get billing done. People were seen buying pulses, rice, flour, spices and frozen food in bulk. Due to high demand, the store owner even had to put a items-per-person cap to check hoarding.

Harman Singh, a costumer, said, “I am not buying in bulk, but a little more than what is needed.” Consumers in Model Town stores said they were making advance arrangements for a “lockdown”.

Scenes were similar at Civil Lines and even in small shops of Gandhi Colony, Kochar Market.

Although the government has announced that only weekly vegetable markets will be shut closed and vegetable will be available from wholesale mandis as well as from “rehris and pehris”, and even from retail shops as usual, but people did panic buying of vegetables too. Amarvir Singh, president of Punjab Wholesale Fruits and Vegetable Sellers Association said,”Fruits and vegetables are coming to wholesale markets in normal supply, but it is really sad that retailers are selling them at higher prices by creating a panic.”

“Rumours have spread in market that vegetables will not be available if there is a lockdown, hence we are purchasing. I got potatoes at Rs 60 a kg, while ginger was priced at over 100 a kg at retailer’s shop,” said Maya Devi, a customer at Pakhowal road. Potatoes are available at wholesale markets at Rs 10 per kg, while ginger is priced at Rs 50/kg.”Prices of all veggies are sky-rocketing, we have purchased potatoes, onions, garlic as a precautionary measure,” said Ramesh Kumar, a resident of New Model Town.

Panic buying was witnessed across the state including Bathinda, Muktsar, Barnala. “Rumours are also being spread that petrol pumps will also be closed for few days,” said Aditya Kumar, a resident of Mansa.