BHUBANESWAR: With no signs of West Bengal lifting restriction on supply of potato, the state government has finally decided to procure the tuber through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) to overcome the crisis.
Food Supply and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Friday said the state government has placed an order through NAFED for procuring 300 tonne of potato from Uttar Pradesh in the first phase.
“The state government will purchase potatoes through NAFED and supply to consumers at Rs 30 per kg. The first consignment will reach the state within a week and the spud will be made available through government fair price shops in cities of Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur in the first phase,” he said. Admitting that the WB government is still not cooperating with Odisha, Patra said, “The state government is on the job to find a solution to the current crisis. We will ensure that the consumers interest is protected first.”
However, traders are not enthused by the minister’s assertion. The supply has to be in quantity and continuous to alleviate the scarcity situation and bring down prices, they said. “Procurement of 300 tonne of potato from UP is like a drop in ocean. It will be consumed in a day or two in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. The state’s annual potato requirement is 13 lakh tonne. The monthly need is more than 1 lakh tonne,” said a leader of Odisha Byobasayee Sangha.