Several grocery goods, including oil, salt and pulses, started trickling out of the wholesale market in Posta on Saturday as several shops and godowns opened and labourers resumed loading goods on vehicles.

On Thursday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had visited Posta, one of the biggest wholesale markets in Calcutta, and requested the traders’ body to accommodate labourers who had not left for their homes at the various dharamsalas there.

By Friday the arrangements had been made and on Saturday, some shops and godowns resumed trading.

“We have started catering to the local markets mostly,” a wholesale trader dealing in garlic said. “Once more godowns open and more labourers resume work, we will cater to the districts. We hope by that time supply from other states will start reaching Posta and Burrabazar.”

Several traders said the bulk of the shops and godowns would open on Monday and within a day or two retail markets in Calcutta and adjoining areas would be replenished.

On Friday, the chief minister had spoken of Posta and said the supply chain of essential items had been kept ready.

Supply of goods started picking up at Koley and Baithakkhana markets in Sealdah and the fish markets in Patipukur and Howrah.

“In North and South 24-Parganas and Nadia, several traders decided to reach Calcutta with their produce,” an official of the agricultural marketing department said.

“These vendors would otherwise move individually on suburban trains.”

Traders who opened their shops in Maniktala, Bagmari, Lake Gardens, Jadu Babu's market and Phoolbagan said the distribution network had to strengthened further.

“Potatoes are still selling at Rs 30/kg across markets. If the supply line is strengthened, this will drop to Rs 24/kg,” Bijan Das, a retailer at Bagmari market in north Calcutta, said.