 "Odisha seeks Nafed help as tuber vanishes from market")
With neighbouring West Bengal imposing restrictions on the movement of potato laden trucks, the state government has asked National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) to supply 3,000 quintal of this staple vegetable from Kanpur.
As Odisha is dependent on West Bengal to meet its potato requirement, the regulation of its supply by the Trinamool Congress government there has led to vanishing of this essential food item from the state markets.
In Odisha, prices of the tuber have appreciated to Rs 35-40 per kg from about Rs 20 per kg earlier. Lion’s share of state’s demand of the vegetable is met from the neighboring state.
More than 200 trucks have been stuck at the Sonakania Check Post on the Bengal-Odisha border.
Worried over this crisis, Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati has taken up the matter with his West Bengal counterpart to resume movement of potato-laden trucks into Odisha.
Food and Supplies Minister, Sanjay Dasburma today reviewed the situation created due to scarcity of potato in the state markets.
Meanwhile, the state government has announced to supply two kgs of potato per family through the five Maitri stores under Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation at a cost of Rs 20 per kg. Last year, restrictions enforced by the West Bengal government on exports of potato had led to a similar crisis in the state.
As Odisha is dependent on West Bengal to meet its potato requirement, the regulation of its supply by the Trinamool Congress government there has led to vanishing of this essential food item from the state markets.
In Odisha, prices of the tuber have appreciated to Rs 35-40 per kg from about Rs 20 per kg earlier. Lion’s share of state’s demand of the vegetable is met from the neighboring state.
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“We are not aware of the reasons of restrictions imposed by West Bengal government. We will be selling the stock available through the selected PDS shops,” said Madhusudan Padhee, Secretary, Food Supply and Consumer Welfare (FS&CW) department.
More than 200 trucks have been stuck at the Sonakania Check Post on the Bengal-Odisha border.
Worried over this crisis, Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati has taken up the matter with his West Bengal counterpart to resume movement of potato-laden trucks into Odisha.
Food and Supplies Minister, Sanjay Dasburma today reviewed the situation created due to scarcity of potato in the state markets.
Meanwhile, the state government has announced to supply two kgs of potato per family through the five Maitri stores under Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation at a cost of Rs 20 per kg. Last year, restrictions enforced by the West Bengal government on exports of potato had led to a similar crisis in the state.