Potato-Laden Trucks Arrive In Bhubaneswar Amid Price Rise But Through ‘Illegal Route’

Bhubaneswar: A day after potato prices skyrocketed prompting the Odisha government to crack the whip on hoarders, potato-laden trucks from West Bengal arrived at godowns at Aiginia wholesale market in Bhubaneswar. 

These 10-12 potato loaded trucks, however, are said to have arrived in the state capital and also in Balasore through illegal routes from West Bengal. A trader from Pipili told a local news channel that supply of potatoes is slowly improving, and these trucks take village routes and ply at nights. He attributed the price rise to hoarding by consumers, who are buying a lot more than required fearing that the commodity may go out of stock.

Meanwhile, price of potatoes continued to remain high in Odisha, ranging from Rs 45-60/kg, despite a government directive to retailers to not sell potatoes beyond Rs 32 per kg. The retailer claimed they are buying a sack of potatoes for Rs 2,200 from wholesalers and hence are forced to sell the commodity at Rs 50-55/kg.

A wholesaler, in turn, claimed potatoes are not being sold in the blackmarket and things will improve once trucks starts arriving from the neighbouring state. Another wholesaler said they are buying a sack of 50 kg for Rs 1,590 and selling for Rs 1,600. He said the retailers should not sell potatoes beyond Rs 40/kg.

After an emergency meeting on Friday, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said the issue will be resolved in a day or two. “We have spoken to the officials concerned in West Bengal who assured that movement of potato trucks will be streamlined within a day or two. We are also in talks with the UP government to procure potatoes, if the need arises,” he told reporters.

Patra had also asserted that Odisha has sufficient stock to cater to the demands of consumers for the next seven to eight days.

The price of the essential tuber had touched Rs 50 per kg in Odisha after Mamata Banerjee government paused potato exports to other states, leading to an indefinite strike by potato traders from July 21. Though the strike was called off on July 24, trucks carrying potatoes were not being allowed to cross West Bengal to regulate price of the essential commodity.

Sources in Kolkata said the supply to Odisha is expected to resume by Monday or Tuesday.

Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also wrote to the West Bengal CM, requesting her to ensure smooth supply of potatoes to Odisha. The letter, however, did not go down well with the state BJP, which blamed the previous BJD government’s Potato Mission failure for the crisis.