Chairing an emergency meeting to take stock of the prevailing situation here, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal decided to reduce the Market Fee and Rural Development Fee (RDF) on potatoes from 2 per cent each to 0.25 per cent.
In addition, Badal also decided to slash the rates of commission charged by the commission Agents from 5 per cent to one per cent with immediate effect.
Besides, the agriculture department had also been directed to undertake distant marketing of potatoes in other parts of the country to ensure better prices to the growers.
The Chief Minister also asked the agriculture department to ensure rational utilisation of storage capacity of cold stores across the state to curb the malpractices of hoarding in cold storage space.
It was also decided in the meeting to issue an advisory to the department of education and jails beside for other government institutions for optimum utilisation of potato in the mid-day meal scheme and for the consumption of jail inmates for rich nourishment, which would also boost the sale of potato in the state, an official spokesman said.