Potato price soars in Odisha

Bhubaneswar : With potato prices touching Rs 50 per kg due to “inadequate” supply from neighbouring West Bengal, the Odisha government on Friday said it was contemplating to procure the tuber from Uttar Pradesh.

This was stated by Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra after reviewing the situation in the market. The minister visited a potato stockyard at Aiginia in Bhubaneswar and said that the State has required potato stock to meet the requirement for seven days.

However, the minister admitted that there was an unusual price rise in the market and he has asked the officials to initiate stern action against hoarders and those selling potatoes at higher prices.

“There is sufficient stock of potatoes in the State which could cater to the needs for seven or eight days. Strict action will be taken against those responsible for creating artificial scarcity and price hike of potatoes in Odisha market,” the minister said.

He said the dealers are purchasing a kilo of potato at the rate of Rs 26 and the people should get the tuber at the rate of Rs 35 per kg. However, the price of potato remained at about Rs 50 a kg in the open market, Patra said. He said the State government was contemplating to procure potatoes from Uttar Pradesh.

The minister also blamed the previous BJD government for the potato price rise. “The previous government could not operate required cold storage in the State. This apart, the State government’s potato mission has also completely failed,” he said.

The minister said the price rise of potatoes is due to “halt” in supply from West Bengal. The supply from the neighbouring State remained suspended due to the strike by cold storage owners in West Bengal. The issue was also raised in the Assembly during Zero Hour.

Balasore MLA Manas Dutta expressed concern over the non-supply of potatoes from West Bengal. “If the West Bengal government continues to stop supply, we will be forced to stop vehicles carrying essential items to Bengal,” Dutta said while drawing the attention of the State government.