Kolkata, Dec 1 (PTI) Potato traders from West Bengal on Tuesday threatened to go on strike if the state government does not lift restrictions on sales to other states.




West Bengal recently re-imposed restrictions on the sale of potatoes to neighboring states in a bid to control prices in local markets. Potatoes are sold in 35-40 per kg in local markets.




Following the state government’s decision, police have intensified surveillance at the inter-state borders to prevent the movement of potatoes out of the state. This has led to several trucks being stranded at border crossings.




“We will go on strike from Tuesday if the government does not lift restrictions,” Lalu Mukherjee, secretary of the Progressive Potato Traders Association, told PTI.




He criticized the government’s decision, stating: “Such abrupt measures disrupt our activities and cause huge losses as we fail to fulfill our obligations.”




Traders and cold storage organizations accused the state government of failing to control prices in local markets, attributing this to profiteering by middlemen.




“Despite the fact that the wholesale price of potatoes in Calcutta is high 27 per kg, how is it in retail? 35-40?” asked a trader.




Neighboring countries such as Odisha and Jharkhand are highly dependent on West Bengal for their potato supply. After the restrictions were imposed, prices in these states have also increased.




Odisha’s Food and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Saturday alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government was playing politics over the supply of potatoes.




“West Bengal is also dependent on other states for fish and other items. If desired, Odisha can also stop the trucks at the border. But we will not do that,” he said.




“We have made arrangements for supply of sufficient potatoes to consumers in the state. Potatoes are coming to the state from Uttar Pradesh. Moreover, the tuber can also be supplied from Punjab,” he added.




In Jharkhand, the price of potatoes has shot up 5 per kg, an official said.




Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren to hold talks with the West Bengal government to address the situation as the residents of the state are suffering due to rising potato prices.




Meanwhile, the West Bengal Agricultural Marketing Board has extended the storage period for potatoes in cold storage by one month till the end of the year.




According to cold storage officials, around 6.5 lakh tonnes of potatoes remain unsold in their stock, out of the total 63.5 lakh tonnes loaded this year.





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