In Kolkata, the intensifying heat has led to a significant decrease in customer footfall in traditional bazaars, affecting traders' ability to sell perishable goods such as fish and vegetables. The elevated temperatures have reduced the shelf life of commonly sold vegetables like pointed gourd and lady's finger to merely a day, challenging the storage capabilities of traders.
Marketplaces including Maniktala, Sealdah, Gariahat, Lake, and Beleghata have experienced a sharp decline in visitors, compelling shop owners to reduce their stock by more than half to minimize losses. The rapid wilting of vegetables, except for potatoes and onions, has been noted, with drumsticks, brinjals, lady's fingers, ridge gourds, and pointed gourds drying up quickly despite efforts to keep them moist using water-soaked towels or banana leaf covers.
Retail vendors have had to adjust their procurement from wholesale markets, reducing their daily vegetable intake significantly. Efforts to preserve the freshness of vegetables include immersing them in water or covering them with wet towels, especially as traders prepare for the evening market.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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