Soon, idlis will go missing from your kitchens...

There’s a scarcity of toor and urad dal due to labour shortage and disruption of supply

Published: 08th April 2020 06:34 AM 

Representational Image

By C Shivakumar

Express News Service

CHENNAI: For many Indians, especially down South, the humble idli, its flamboyant cousin dosa and sambar are part of daily life. But, during the lockdown, the favourite breakfast of many is starting to miss from the menu. Why? Because toor dal and urad dal, essential items to make batter, is hardly available.

Traders say there is scarcity since pulses come from Karnataka and Maharashtra and hardly anything is being transported now. Tamil Nadu Pulses Traders Association Member T Shanmugakani told Express that currently, the State is getting only 25 per cent stock of toor dal as 70 to 75 per cent yards or agriculture mandis in Maharashtra and Karnataka are not functioning.

“Besides there are also other issues like non-availability of migrant workers, drivers and sealed borders,” says Shanmugakani. Interestingly, many traders are sourcing urad dal from Thanjavur and Bhuvanagiri in Chdambaram district. But it is barely enough, says Shanmugakani.

That’s not all. The traders also blame panic buying for the shortage. It has pushed up prices of essentials by 15 to 20 per cent. Chennai Koyambedu Foodgrains Wholesale Merchants Association secretary R Punnaiappan told Express that usually retailers sell at 5 per cent profit margin but due to panic buying, products are being sold at 15 to 20 per cent in retail. Punnaippan said the government has to step in to ensure buying is controlled and traders don’t stock up, adding prices of garlic, which was sold between Rs 60-Rs 100 is now being sold at Rs 130-200 and most are being kept in godowns or warehouses.

It gets whackier! The rise in price of turmeric is also being attributed to people using it to spray on homes and roads. Shanmugakani says the government should open up Kothwal chavadi market in North Chennai, from where goods are moved to retail shops across the city, Tiruvanamalai and North Tamil Nadu.

Vijay, a retail shop owner, says that since distributors are not coming here he has to go before 1 pm and get essential commodities for his customers. “These are tough times,” he says.