BHUBANESWAR: Uncertain over the resumption of normal potato supply from West Bengal, the state government has set upon procuring 48,000 quintal of the tuber from Uttar Pradesh by train.
“Efforts are underway to procure 48,000 quintal of potato from Uttar Pradesh. The Railway Ministry has agreed to provide two rakes to transport the potato to Odisha. Hopefully, the delivery will be made within four-five days,” Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs minister Krushna Chandra Patra told mediapersons here on Tuesday.
Responding to queries on higher retail price of potato despite adequate stocks, the minister said the vegetable was being sold at Rs 26 a kg in Sambalpur and nearby districts while it was Rs 30-Rs 35 per kg in rest of the state. He said potato is also sold at Rs 30 per kg through the 1,900-odd fair price shops in the state.
When pointed out that prices in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack continued to be high at Rs 40, the minister alluded to hoarding of the vegetable. “The enforcement wing of the department has been asked to take action against such unscrupulous practice,” he said.
A joint raid was conducted in Unit-I market by BMC and civil supplies department officials to check the prices of potato and onion which they found were sold at Rs 40 and Rs 50 a kg respectively.
However, justifying the prevailing market price of the two commodities, secretary of Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangha, Sudhakar Panda said the price factor depended on the source markets.