CHENNAI: Koyambedu vegetable and fruits traders are up in arms against online firm Ninjacart which they accuse of trying to monopolise the vegetables and fruits business. On Thursday morning a group of traders blocked the vehicles belonging to the online trading company on allegations that the company is going against the Tamil Nadu Specified Commodities (Regulation of location) Act 1996 which was enacted by the state government to ensure perishable goods are sold only in the Koyambedu wholesale market.
S Chandran, Market management Committee Licensed Merchants Association President and Anaithu Sangankalin Kootamaipu general secretary, told Express that they resorted to protest on Thursday since the vehicles belonging to Ninjacart was bringing substandard or leftover vegetables to the Koyambedu market after selling the best produce through online.
Ninjacart officials could not be reached for their comments.
Chandran said Ninjacart has been monopolising the sale of vegetables by opening godowns on the outskirts of the city in Red Hills and Poonamalee. The company is said to be buying the vegetables directly from the farmers and store it in their godowns and sell it online at a cheaper rate than Koyambedu traders. The traders said they are agitated because Ninjacart sold the produce to retailers at a cheaper rate and also took back the unsold vegetables which are later pushed into the Koyambedu market. "They sell it in the morning and the unsold stock is being taken back during the evening while doing the collection," said Chandran. The leftover vegetables is then pushed into Koyambedu market. "This resulted in us getting a bad name and moreover it gave credence to Ninjacart's claim of selling vegetables directly to Koyambedu market," said Chandran.
He further added all the 20 traders association in the market protested against Ninjacart and when their vehicle came to sell the leftover vegetables, the protesting traders handed them to police and also asked the food safety officials to check and ensure whether the vegetables are good for sales.
The protest was launched around 4am and it was settled after police inspector from Koyambedu police station and DRO of Market Management Committee promised the traders that action would be taken against the violators of the Act. Ninjacart is India’s largest B2B Fresh Produce Supply Chain Company and the company claims that it has disrupted the way fruits and vegetables move to people’s plates.