Potato Crisis In Odisha To End Soon, Lasting Solution Lies In Self-Sufficiency: Minister

Bhubaneswar: Amid shortage of potato and high price of the tuber across the state, the Odisha government on Thursday said the prevailing crisis is likely to end soon as more consignment is set to arrive soon.

Stating that potato consignment has already arrived in the state, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra told reporters that the crisis will be over in a few days with more supplies likely to arrive from West Bengal as well as Uttar Pradesh.

The Minister asserted that the state is set to get adequate potatoes from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh very soon which will ease the crisis being faced at present.

Asserting that potato price will come down soon, he said traders have been asked to prepare for the fresh supplies of potatoes and keep the prices under reasonable.

Sources said five trucks carrying potato trucks arrived at Aiginia godown in Bhubaneswar on Thursday which is likely to bring considerable improvement in the situation.

Noting that Odisha is not self-sufficient in potato, the Minister said production of potatoes in the state is around three lakh quintals, while the demand is around 13 lakh quintals.

Therefore, the government is initiating steps to make the state self-sufficient in potato production in the next 1-2 years by substantially raising output, he said.

On obstacles created earlier by West Bengal in the supply of potato to Odisha, the Minister said in a lighter vein, “it seems brother must have told his sister” (bhai thanka bhauni nku kahithibe) to do so. Notably, former chief minister Naveen Patnaik reportedly described West Bengal CM as his sister.

Traders claimed that the Bengal police had reportedly been stopping trucks transporting potato at a temporary checkpoint in Belda, 60 km from the Sonakania Gate. However, the problem appears to have been solved with the arrival of fresh stocks.

Though the volume of potato that has arrived in the state may not be enough for now, traders are hopeful that they will now be able to get potatoes from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Amid acute shortage of the tuber caused by disruption in supply from traditional source West Bengal, potato price which was Rs 30-35 per kg has shot up to around Rs 50 per kg now.

According to General Secretary of Odisha Traders Association (OTA) Sudhakar Panda, lack of stock in the godowns is forcing the traders to sell potato at high price. While four trucks with potato from West Bengal have arrived in the state, one truck has come from UP, he said, adding that efforts are on to ensure normalcy in supplies.