Bengal keen to keep farm goods cheap

The West Bengal government was not in favour of allowing enhancement of the price of agricultural commodities in view of mass resistance from middle income families and rural population.

"We would not like to raise prices of agricultural commodities like potato, rice, and wheat from our side, for fear of huge resistance from different quarters and the low and middle income group," explained minister for agricultural marketing, government of West Bengal, Chhaya Ghosh while addressing a meeting on 'Marketing of agro-products in West Bengal', organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The regulated market structure of the government had failed to collect the one per cent tax from various checkpoints at regional marketing centres, she admitted.

This led to harassment for of farmers and traders. "In order to solve this problem we need to hold meetings with the government marketing departments, traders and farmers to amicably solve the problem," she added.

S K Chakroborty, president of BNCCI, said special attention was needed to set up of regulated markets to improve market efficiency and for equitable distribution of benefits among the producers, traders and consumers.

The state needed well-connected regulated markets with basic amenities like water, hygiene and sanitation, including rest rooms for farmers.