Mushrooms replace meat on the plate

Vincent.Arockiaraj@timesgroup.com

Trichy:28.04.2020

The demand for button mushrooms has gone up manifold ever since restrictions were put in place on operation of mutton, chicken and fish stalls across the district. However, owing to transportation issues traders are unable to get supply from Pune,Ooty, andChengalpattu regularly.

As people were found flocking meat and fish stalls during weekends, even after the imposition of 144, the district administrations imposed restrictions to prevent any chance for the spread of Covid-19.

On Sundays, K Pushparaj, a grocery owner in Srirangam, usually purchases two or three packets of 200g each for sales, these days 20 to 25 packets are being sold within an hour. “Not only on weekends, people are demanding mushrooms on weekdays too. New customers are mostly non-vegetarians. During the Tamil month of Puratasi, mushroom sales rises three to four time up. That situation is prevailing now,” Pushparaj said.

M Girija, a housewife from Woraiyur, said that they opted to avoid nonvegetarian food after the spread of coronavirus and started cooking mushrooms. “Unlike normal days, mushroom is available at all the shops. The costis very less andwecan get a packet for ₹50.Itis alsoeasy tocook,” shesaid.

R Manohar, a wholesale trader, said he could not meet the increased demand. “Earlier, we sold 300 packets on weekends. Now the demand has gone up to750 packets. Wehavestalls attemporary vegetable markets, Uzhavar Sandhai and we deliver to grocery shops across the district. We are delivering at customer’s doorsteps too,” he said. “Around 80% of supply is from Ooty while the remaining is by companiesin Chengalpattu andPollachi,” said S Prabu Eswaran, zonal manager of Sri Karpaga Vinayakar Mushroom Farm. “50% of our sales was from hotels. We lost those orders due to lockdown. Now we are concentrating only on retailsales,” saidPrabu Eswaran.