New Delhi: After a setback to the first ever talks held between the government and striking truckers on April 17, the countrywide indefinite strike by transporters entered the fifth day today resulting in shortage of essential commodities.

Along with the surge in prices of fruits and vegetables, consumers have started feeling the pinch as supply of even essentials like petrol and medicines have been severely affected due to the stir.

Reports reaching here indicated a 20 per cent rise in price of vegetables.

J M Saksena, secretary general of All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the largest truckers' union with 2.7 million vehicles in its fold, said they might stop the movement of cooking gas and milk also if the government did not sort out the issue soon.

Soaring prices of vegetables has affected states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh as small lorries and tempos are not sufficient to ferry all the items.

The strike has also affected supply of components to different manufacturing units while cargo movement from ports and export consignments have been hit.

The truckers' demands include putting an end to frequent hike in diesel prices, non- inclusion in the proposed Value Added Tax, repeal of an order to scrap 15-year-old trucks among others.

PTI