Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Friday asked traders not to sell potatoes at more than Rs 32 per kilogram. The order came as the consumers grappled with the spiraling price of the kitchen essential vegetable.
Potatoes at many places across the state sold at Rs 50 a kilogram on Friday, causing a serious discontentment among the consumers.
In a bid to have a reality check, state food and supplies and consumer welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra visited several potato godowns in Bhubaneswar on Friday morning. After taking stock of the situation, Patra said, “, “I along with my officers visited many godowns in Bhubaneswar. After inquiring, I found that they are buying potatoes at Rs 27 per kg.”
“When asked at what price potato should be sold in the retail market, the godown owners replied that it should not be priced more than Rs 32 per kg. So I request all traders to sell the essential kitchen commodity at Rs 32 per kg or else necessary action will be taken against them,” Patra added.
The minister warned hoarders and black marketers to refrain from troubling the common people unnecessarily.
Terming West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s decision to stop potato export to other states unfortunate, Patra said we are in talks with the Uttar Pradesh government. If the need arises, we will give the necessary permission to procure tuber from them.
An important meeting was convened in the evening to chalk out plans to curb the price rise.
“The retail price of potatoes has reached Rs 45-50 per kg in Odisha. This is causing huge inconvenience to the common man. We urge the Odisha government to take appropriate steps to bring the price of the essential commodity under control and ensure its adequate supplies to the consumers,” said Sonali Sahu, state Congress spokesperson.
Reports from northern Odisha district Balasore said many trucks carrying potatoes from West Bengal were pulled back by the Mamata Banerjee government ostensibly to avoid scarcity of the commodity in that state.
