State bid to check potato price rise

HOWRAH: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee held a review meeting on the spiralling potato prices at Nabanna on Saturday, only two days after the task force meeting on vegetable price rise took place. Officials of the agriculture and agriculture marketing department were present at the meeting.
The CM has again urged the traders forum and the task force members to see to it that potatoes do not go outside the state as the prices are rising and have already touched Rs 22 per kg
.It has already been decided that potato-laden trucks will be stationed in three areas of the city throughout the day for sale at government-fixed rate of Rs 14 per kg.
Sources said DMs of several districts have been told to check that potatoes are stored in the cold storages according to the prescribed amount as has been fixed by the government. A senior official said that police stations at several districts have been asked to check the ?challan' of trucks that are transporting potatoes.
Within the city, where potatoes will be sold are Ultadanga, Parama island junction and Hastings junction. According to officials, The potatoes will be sold in packets ranging from 500 grams to 5 kg and customers will be able to buy a maximum of 5 kg at a time.
Besides, potatoes will also be available at civic markets, including those at Ultadanga, VIP, Hatibagan, Sovabazar, Entally, Park Circus and Lake Market at the fixed price of Rs 14 per kg, as well as in the fair price vegetable shops located in the markets of Hastings, Milan Mela, Joka, Tollygunge, Posta, Kankurgachi, Behala and Sakherbazar
.
Officials said that the Enforcement directorate along with the police has been asked to intensify vigil to take necessary measures and ensure that potatoes are sold at the fixed price. Officials said that presently, there is about 32 lakh metric tonne of potatoes stored in the cold storages. Officials said that stock will last for the next six months only if the state government manages to stop potatoes from being exported.