Poor people have almost forgotten onion, their most sought after vegetable. Price hike to the extent of Rs 60 a kg is the one and only reason. And now has come the turn of potato, another common vegetable, whose price too has skyrocketed.
Potato is now sold at Rs 28 per kg in the local market here. A day before it was Rs 15-18 per kg, while a week ago, the vegetable was sold at Rs 10-12 per kg. It is likely to reach Rs 35 very soon if the hoarders and black marketers have their way, feel the consumers.
The reason for price hike is due to hoarding by the whole sellers. They, for no reason, have raised the price of the old stock of potato taking advantage of the cyclone and the flood in the coastal districts, said a few vendors here. Ever since the cyclone and floods, the dishonest hoarders have been rising the price of potato constantly with the result that its price has reached Rs 30 of late, they said. They also blamed the administration for the price rise as there has been no action against the corrupt businessmen.
It is further learnt that the Government of West Bengal has stopped sending potato to Odisha and other States after the cyclone, which has depended the crisis, they said.
However, Sambalpur Sub Collector Surendra Panda said that he would conduct raids at the whole sellers’ godowns this week. “Very strong action would be taken on unscrupulous businessmen,” Panda assured. If necessary such businessmen would be booked under NSA as per the instruction of the Government against hoarders, he informed.