21 Jan
Mandalay commodity depot that has halted for four months to prevent the spreading of the pandemic will reopen on 21 January 2021, according to an announcement of the depot executive committee. With highly rising COVID-19 infection cases, the Mandalay depot was closed starting from 21 September 2020 for the safety of the committee members.
“We have expected to reopen the depot last December. However, the related department scrutinized the necessary things and granted permission to reopen only on 21 January. Our committee keeps a basin to wash the hands and has urged the members to wear the masks,” said an official from Mandalay commodity depot. Around 200-300 people are daily coming into and going out of the commodity depot. According to the depot members, the trading was conducted from home through Viber group during the depot’s closing period.
“I am delighted that the depot reopens today. The traders will come if the depot reopens. Then, we will have competitive prices for trading. Under the online trading system, the traders offer the price that they want to give. Now, they can see the products with their own eyes,” said a committee member. There are around 1,800 members in Mandalay commodity depot. The commodity depot was closed from the first week of April to last week of May during the first wave of COVID-19 outbreak.
Zin Yaw Aye (Translated by Hay Mar)
