BHUBANESWAR: Even as prices of potato have once again begun to soar due to restriction imposed by the West Bengal government on movement of the vegetable, the Odisha government on Saturday said it also had the option of taking retaliatory action but won’t exercise it.
Terming the action of Mamata Banejee government as insensitive, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra said, every state depends on others for commodities and essentials that are not produced or available locally.
“West Bengal too depends on Andhra Pradesh for fish, eggs and other vegetables. The Bengal-bound lorries carrying essentials from southern states pass through Odisha. We can put restriction on movement of such vehicles,” the minister said.
“However, we are sensitive to the needs of the people of other states. We cannot even think of taking that route,” he added.
He also said the Odisha government will not make any further request to the neighbouring state for the supply of tuber.
“We are not beggars. We have self-respect. There are other states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab which are surplus in potato production. In fact, the state’s traders have started procuring the tuber from UP,” he said.
He also said Bengal will have no option but to resume supply like last time as and when potato starts to rot in the godowns as it is a highly perishable commodity. Besides, their traders are resisting the embargo, he said.
Potato supply from Bengal has trickled down to single truck load (30 tonne) since Friday triggering a shortage in the Odisha market. The vegetable which was available at Rs 35 a kg till Thursday has become costlier by Rs 15-Rs 20 a kg in the retail markets of the city.
The wholesale price of potato has jumped from Rs 24-Rs 27 a kg to Rs 38-Rs 40 a kg in the last two days, said Kuberpuri Byabasayee Sangh secretary Shakti Shankar Mishra.
On the contrary, Patra claimed there was sufficient stock of potatoes in the market and prices of the commodity remain stable. “Today, I purchased potato at Rs 30 a kg. There is no truth in shortage of potato as it is being made out. We are keeping a close watch on the markets and action will be taken against hoarding and black-marketing,” he said.