Bhubaneswar: The arrival of 300 truckloads of potatoes from Uttar Pradesh on Monday morning is expected to ease the soaring potato crisis with several godowns running dry, having exhausted their stocks, amid the embargo imposed by West Bengal government on inter-state movement of the tuber.
The neighbouring state reimposed curbs on selling potatoes to neighbouring states from Friday to control the prices in the local markets where the tuber is retailing at Rs 35-Rs 40 per kg.
On Sunday, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra informed about the consignment on its way from Uttar Pradesh. “The state government is committed to ensure that essential commodities like potato are available to consumers at an affordable price. We have taken proactive steps to maintain the supply chain without any disruption,” he told reporters.
Potatoes are being sold at around Rs 50 per kg across Odisha.
A task force has been formed to check overpricing, hoarding, and black marketing of potatoes in the state, he added.
