Grappling with the shortage of potatoes in Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has once again sought the help of his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee. Manjhi spoke to her, making a fresh request to improve potato supply to his state where consumers are facing a dearth of tubers. The Odisha CM had requested Banerjee to tone up potato supply when they had met in New Delhi recently.
During a telephonic conversation on August 11, Majhi said the supply of potatoes to Odisha had improved after their meeting in New Delhi, but now the situation has deteriorated again. He urged Banerjee to intervene in the matter and resolve the problem, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a statement, adding, "Banerjee has assured him of appropriate steps to resolve the issue."
The Odisha CM talked with Banerjee after the West Bengal Police allegedly installed CCTV cameras in border villages to check unauthorised transportation of potatoes to Odisha. Meanwhile, the Odisha government said that it has initiated selling potatoes at Rs 100 for 3 kg in retail shops across the state under the public distribution system (PDS).
Odisha Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister K C Patra said potatoes have been sent to different places in the state through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. Now traders have also started releasing potatoes to the market, he said, expecting them to sell them at reasonable rates.
A few days ago, the Odisha government procured 140 truckloads of potatoes from Uttar Pradesh, ensuring a steady supply to meet the demand and stabilize the market.
It may be mentioned that Odisha started facing a serious potato crisis after neighbouring West Bengal stopped the transportation of the tuber. Traders in Odisha refused to buy potatoes from Uttar Pradesh, stating that people don't like the variety produced in UP.
