To arrest escalating prices of potato in the state, West Bengal government has decided to continue restrictions on its transportation to other states and abroad until normal situation was restored.
The state would give priority to its own demand and contain the rising prices of potato before transporting them to other states or neighbouring countries, state Agriculture Marketing Minister Arup Roy told PTI here today.
A meeting of the task force on price rise was held recently in which Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee clearly directed to give priority to the requirement of the state.
Restrictions on sale of potato outside the state was imposed in June this year.
The state still has a stock of about 30 lakh tonnes of potato which would help to meet its demand till December when the next crop is available, Roy said.
Meanwhile, the state government also has set a guideline against unlimited stocking of potato and onion.
"While traders in wholesale markets will be able to stock a maximum of 2,000 quintal of potato and 500 quintal of onion, the limit for traders in retail markets is 50 quintal for potato and 20 quintal for onion. The police will take action against anyone trying to violate this order," state Agriculture Minister Purnendu Bose said.
