Taking stock

Almost two weeks into the Covid-19 national lockdown, the panic in households about running out of rations has dissipated to a large extent, but the challenges emerging out of supply chain disruptions are only increasing. The issue at hand for now is the slow pace of intra and inter-state delivery of goods, or none at all. It is not production-linked, though labour shortage is bound to hit manufacturing processes across the board in the near future. As stocks at the retail end get sold out and quality-certified replenishments are few and far between, there are serious concerns that the situation, if not tackled immediately, could escalate to uncontrollable levels.

While those dealing in goods deemed as non-essential can only count their burgeoning losses as shops remain shut, the grocery store owners — ensuring a semblance of normalcy in these tough times — are having to confront unmanageable issues of their own. Most are finding it hard to place orders for company-made products as several established brands and distributors are unable to navigate the delivery muddle. In the absence of any checks, low-quality, local-made products suddenly have steady sales, and for consumers, just getting hold of supplies is a victory of sorts, forget about choice or production worries. The prices of most products have seen a marginal rise but vegetables, in particular, are being sold at a premium and solely because of supply-side issues.

When that most readily and widely available food item in the country, Maggi noodles, is not easy to get, you know something is not right. While the company manufacturing it is among the biggest buyer of milk in Punjab, that its products should not be available in the area is something that should be looked into. Simple assurances of exemption being given to vehicles ferrying essential items hold little meaning when there is clear non-adherence by the government agencies on the ground. The supply chain has been badly hit, and needs a quick fix. Both the Centre and states need to get their act together fast on it. Every day lost in not addressing the issue is a missed opportunity that is going to hurt businesses a lot in the long run.