After a week-long break, the State’s potato problem is back to square one as the West Bengal Government has once again slapped an undeclared ban on potato transportation.
The WB Government’s move is likely to push the price of the kitchen essential even higher even though the Odisha Government has been claiming that the State has sufficient stocks to deal with the situation.
The WB Government, which had unofficially imposed restrictions on potato transportation to Odisha and other States during the end of last month, had allowed export of potato to Odisha for a week ending Sunday.
During the relaxation period, traders had been allowed to send only 5,000 tonnes of potatoes to Odisha every day between August 17 and 23.
The fresh restriction on transportation has already led to a rise in the potato price to Rs 28 to Rs 30 a kg and it is likely to increase further in the coming days if this situation continues.
However, the State Government claims that it is well aware of the situation and has stored sufficient potato for the next one month.
“The West Bengal Government has clamped restrictions on export of potato to other States once again. However, Odisha will not face any problem for one month as we have stocked sufficient potato in the last seven days. About 28,800 quintals of potato has come to the State. Besides, the West Bengal Chief Minister will also held a review meeting on the situation,” said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma.