Potato crisis over, claims Odisha govt

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury
Bhubaneswar, Aug 9:

Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma today said the potato crisis in Odisha created after the West Bengal government put restrictions on the movement of potato laden trucks into the state is now over and consumers can avail the kitchen essential at normal prices soon.

“The West Bengal government has allowed movement of potato laden trucks struck at its border from 11 am today. While some trucks have already reached several places, including Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, other trucks will reach at the destinations soon,” said the minister.

He informed that Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik had discussed with his West Bengal counterpart to resolve the issue yesterday and the move resulted in the end of the impasse.

The movement of West-Bengal bound fish and vegetable laden trucks, which were stopped on the Odisha side of the border in retaliation for the action of neighbouring state, has also resumed.

Dasburma, who took a review meeting on the potato crisis, informed that potato to be provided by National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) would reach the state by Wednesday.

The decision of the West Bengal government to strictly regulate export of potato to other states has had an immediate effect with the number of potato laden trucks coming to Odisha decreasing drastically in the last three days. The short supply has resulted in a 100% hike in the retail price of the tuber, forcing a panicky Odisha government to engage in talks with its West Bengal counterpart.