BHUBANESWAR : With the possibility of Cyclone Dana hitting the state becoming stronger, panic buying has ensued in the coastal districts including the Twin City of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
As the IMD released the projected track of the cyclone on Monday, the markets saw a huge rush of people seeking to stock up on essential commodities to see them through the calamity period, if situation arises. So much so, vegetables like potato vanished from the markets by evening.
There was no stock of potatoes left in the Aiginia market in Bhubaneswar and limited stock in Cuttack’s Chhatra Bazaar. Price of the tuber which was selling at Rs 30 per kg till Sunday shot up to around Rs 50 per kg on Monday. This, despite the fact that supply from West Bengal has not been affected yet.
Around over 100 tonne of potato was sold from 6 am to 2 pm on the day at Aiginia - the biggest wholesale market in the capital city for potatoes and onions - as people bought the tuber in large quantities. Since morning, the market received six truckloads of potatoes from West Bengal with each carrying 18 to 20 tonne.
“People usually buy 3 kg of potatoes in one go. Today, we received many customers who purchased potato packets, each having 45 kg to 50 kg. By 2 pm, there was no stock left in Aiginia,” said general secretary of the market Shakti Sankar Mishra.
The situation at Chhatra Bazaar was no different. The market received six trucks of potatoes from the neighbouring state and all of it was sold by evening. Bazaar secretary Debendra Sahoo said while potato was selling at Rs 26- Rs 27 a kg in the wholesale market, the retail rate was around Rs 35 per kg. Till Saturday, the tuber was selling at Rs 30 per kg.
“We have been requesting customers not to buy in large quantities and take only as much as they need. But as there is a sense of panic amongst all, they are hoarding the stocks,” he said.
Sahoo asserted that there will be no supply disruption from West Bengal and the retails have sufficient stock.
Meanwhile, like potatoes, the prices of onion and garlic have increased despite the fact that supply from Andhra Pradesh and Nashik has not been affected. A kg of onions is selling at Rs 60 to Rs 70 depending on quality.
On Sunday, Food Supplies minister Krushna Chandra Patra had warned against hoarding essential commodities.