Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has asked divisional commissioners and district magistrates to inspect cold storages

In an attempt to check black marketing, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has asked divisional commissioners and district magistrates to inspect cold storages to prevent hoarding of potato and onion.

“Sustained efforts need to be made to control the rising prices by keeping control on entry and exit of vegetables from cold stores along with analysing and reviewing of the differences of retail and wholesale prices of potato and onion,” the Chief Secretary said in a statement issued here on Wednesday.

Uttar Pradesh State Horticulture Co-operative Marketing Federation (HOFED) has been nominated the nodal agency for keeping watch on procurement and marketing of potato and onion.

Ranjan said that in view of the expected rise in onion prices, the National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing Federation (NAFED) should be prepared to ensure sufficient supply of onion during the lean period of July to October. He asked the nodal agency to find out the quantity of onion which NAFED could store under the current terms and conditions.