Odisha Will Supply Potato To Other States Soon, Govt To End Crisis Permanently, Says Minister

Bhubaneswar: The State government is working out a plan to end the potato crisis permanently, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said on Friday. He also blamed the previous BJD government for the potato crisis in the state.

“The cold storages in Odisha are dysfunctional. There were no efforts by the past government to a set up new cold storages or repair and equip the existing ones with latest technology,” said Patra.

Speaking about Mohan Majhi-led BJP government’s plans for his department, the Food Supplies Minister said that new cold storages will be built in the state that will enable Odisha to produce more vegetables, store and supply the same to other states.

Patra said, “My department will hold a joint meeting with the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Cooperation departments to devise a strategy and ensure such crisis do not occur in future. The existing cold storages are abandoned and in dilapidated condition, except for a couple. We will need to have a fresh start with new units.”

Meanwhile, the movement of trucks carrying potatoes from West Bengal was smooth on Sunday with supplies reaching markets in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and other parts of the state. According to reports, the prices of dropped to Rs 30 to Rs 35 in markets across Odisha.

However, the traders complained that quality of potato coming from West Bengal was not good because of the halt amid rains at the border between two states. The consumers were also not very keen about buying potato at high rates, they rued.