Bhubaneswar: With potato price touching Rs 50 a kg, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra today criticised the West Bengal government for deliberately stopping supply of potatoes to Odisha.
Following a verbal order of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the West Bengal government has restricted export of potato from their State. The potatoes-laden trucks have not been allowed to cross the border since Wednesday night. Many of these vehicles have also returned to their origin points.
Speaking to media persons here, Shri Patra said, “The West Bengal government is playing politics, for which, they restricted supply of potato to Odisha while sometimes they allow it. But, this time, we are not going to request them to supply potatoes to Odisha.” However, if West Bengal sends potatoes on its own, Odisha will accept it, he said.
“We are not going to have any talks with Mamata Banerjee government for potatoes. She has already stated in the media that her government will not send potatoes to Odisha so there is no point in talking to her,” he said.
Criticizing such a move of Bengal, he said, it is not proper to restrict the supply of vegetables or goods to any State because all states are under one country and everyone should live together.
“West Bengal is also depending on other states for fish and other items. If desired, Odisha can also stop the goods vehicles at its border. But, we are not going to do so,” the Minister said.
“We have made arrangements for the supply of adequate potatoes to consumers in the State. Potatoes have started arriving in the state from Uttar Pradesh. Besides, the tuber can also be brought from Punjab,” he said.
The consumers will have to bear an additional burden of Rs 2 per kg for potatoes brought from UP, he said.
Patra informed that the State government has chalked out an action plan to make the state self-reliant in potato production in next two years.
Due to the restriction imposed by West Bengal, the retail price of the vegetable has increased in local markets in the State.
The traders said potatoes, which were selling at Rs 33 to Rs 35 per kg in the Odisha markets three days ago, now increased to Rs 45 to Rs 50 per kg.
The tuber is being sold at Rs 40 per kg in the main vegetable markets in the cities like Bhubaneswar and Cuttack while it went up to Rs 45 per kg in Berhampur and Rs 50 in the rural markets. Even in some places in Bhubaneswar the potato price rose to Rs 50 a kg, market sources said.
Notably, Odisha requires around 4,500 tonnes of potato daily to meet its needs. The state mostly depends on West Bengal to meet this need.