Bhubaneswar: Potato price in Odisha seems to be stuck at Rs. 45 to Rs. 50 per kg after a decline to about Rs. 35 per kg for few days. This is burning a hole in the pocket of consumers, as this vegetable occupies a pivotal place in most kitchens. It is worth mentioning that, the negotiations seem to have had no impact on the prices.
In Chattrabazaar the main vegetable market and godown of Cuttack, the price of three kgs of potato has reached to Rs. 150 which is very high. In the retail market, potato is being sold at Rs 45 to 50 per kg. If this situation continues, then the crisis and the price will increase further.
All the states generally depend on West Bengal for potato. However, due to the strike of cold storage owners in West Bengal, there is now a potato crisis in Odisha. Due to this all of a sudden, the price of a sack of this quintessential vegetable has risen to Rs. 500 as compared the earlier price of Rs. 300 per sack.
Odisha will stop importing potato from West Bengal, informed State Food Suppliers and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on August 1. While speaking to the media persons after chairing a meeting with the traders’ association at the Secretariat today, the Minister said that the State government has decided to stop importing potato from West Bengal gradually. The decision to stop importing potato from West Bengal was been taken as the scarcity of potato has been continue in Odisha for a long period of time as the neighbouring state has stopped sending potato, the Minister said.
He further said that the meeting also decided to importing potato from the Uttar Pradesh (UP) and in the initial phase permission has been given to the traders to get 20 trucks of potato from the UP.
When asked about the difference of prices, Patra stated that the price of the potato which will be imported from Uttar Pradesh will be more similar to that of West Bengal.
It is to be noted here that the State has been facing shortage of potato as the neighbouring state has reportedly stopped transporting it due to which the price has skyrocketed. Currently, 1 kg of potato is being sold for Rs 40 or more in the Odisha market.