Ariyalur: As the nation has been kept under the lockdown due to the global pandemic and the people are left with no money in rural areas as their life depends on daily wage and as everything is hut they are left with none work to do. Thus, people have come out with their alternative to buy essential commodities and they did it by exchanging commodities and thus bringing back the barter systems.
Though the cashless economy has not been entirely forgotten, people said the barter system has been working for them as they have little or no money to spend. Due to the lockdown, most people are at home without work in the district. Some are going without food. In rural areas, farmers are unable to sell their products and have been badly affected.
The barter system is being used to purchase items like vegetables, paddy, and chili for daily requirements.
According to the report of New Indian Express, Chetti Thirukonam resident R Raja said, “Cash flow is currently low, I cultivated chili and groundnut on my two acres, but I needed paddy. So, I purchased two-and-a-half sacks of paddy in exchange for 25 kg of chilis. We calculated at the market price.”
He added, “There are no middlemen involved, ensuring honesty in transactions. While people in the town are using debit or credit cards to make payments, we have returned to an older form of cashless payment and we are happy with it.” Another resident, T Karunanidhi, said, “I gave two-and-a-half sacks of paddy in exchange for chilis. We also exchange vegetables. Due to traffic constraints, we cannot go out and sell our goods. So, we buy from neighbors using this system. Because of the currency crisis in all areas, the barter system is being increasingly used in many villages. We make direct purchases and it does not look like business.”
