Aatmja Kumari(Intern Journalist) Prices of potatoes along with onions are also touching the sky. Due to this, the budget of the common man is seen to be disturbed. Traders of West Bengal, the second largest state in potato production, say that they do not understand why the prices of potatoes are going up.
Traders said on Wednesday that there is enough stock of potato in the state’s cold storage houses and the Center has allowed its license-free import from Bhutan, so there seems no reason for the rise in potato prices. The price of the ‘Jyoti’ variety of potato has increased to over Rs 40 per kg in the retail markets of Kolkata. At the same time, the ‘Chandramukhi’ variety is being sold at the rate of Rs 45 per kg.
Traders said that such a jump in potato prices was seen in the state about a decade ago. An official of the West Bengal Cold Stores Home Association said that 26-27 percent of the total stock capacity of 59 lakh tonnes of potato is available. He said that this level of stock is normal and like the previous years. There is no reason for the crisis. We do not know the reason for the increase in prices.
Another cold store official said that exports to other states, purchases, and hoarding by big corporates are being blamed for the rise in potato prices. A businessman said that the central government has given permission to import unlicensed potatoes from Bhutan. 30,000 tonnes of potatoes are expected to arrive soon. Partially loosening the rules, the government allowed license-free import of potatoes from Bhutan from 31 October next year until 30 October.
Potato prices have jumped 92 percent in the last year. However, experts say that this is temporary and prices will fall due to improvement in supply. A comparative analysis of the data by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs shows that the average wholesale prices of potatoes have increased by 108% in the past few times.
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