Potato Crisis: Minister Orders Action Against Hoarders

Acting on the complaint that the potato wholesalers, taking opportunity of the acute shortage, have started hoarding the edible to earn more profit, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Surya Narayan Patro has asked the department to raid godowns and initiate stern action against them.

In a letter to the district collectors on Friday, secretary Vir Vikram Yadav asked them to strictly monitor the price of potato and keep a strict vigil on its supply and black marketing. Besides, the collectors have been asked to ensure smooth transport of potato from the neighbouring states.

The department has claimed that there is no problem in supply of potatoes to the local market. On an average 25-20 truckloads of potatoes arrive in Bhubaneswar every day. While the retail price of potato in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack is Rs 15-Rs 18 per kg, it is being sold in other cities like Berhampur, Rourkela and Sambalpur at Rs 20 per kg.

The department hopes that the price of potato would come down in Odisha once potato wholesalers in West Bengal release the harvest, stored in the cold storage.

Notably, as against the annual requirement of 12.5 lakh metric tonnes of potato, only three lakh metric tonnes of potatoes have been harvested in Odisha this year, forcing the state government to procure potato from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.