The West Bengal government, led by Mamata Banerjee, has made a significant decision regarding the inter-state trade of potatoes. On Tuesday, the administration announced that it would permit the sale of potatoes outside the state for a limited period of seven days, starting Wednesday. This decision was taken after careful consideration and discussions with potato traders and other stakeholders, ensuring that it would not lead to a shortage or a price hike within the state.
Panchayat Minister Pradeep Majumdar emphasized that the government aims to maintain price stability in the state, with the expectation that prices may decrease but will not rise. "The government will allow the supply of up to 2 lakh tonnes of potatoes to other states for the next seven days until fresh produce arrives," he stated. This temporary lift on the trade ban comes after the state had previously restricted potato exports due to a sharp increase in local prices.
West Bengal, being the second-largest potato producer in India, has a significant impact on the national potato market. Minister Majumdar assured that the government would closely monitor the prices during this period. If prices remain stable, the state may consider extending the period for inter-state trade. "If prices do not rise after allowing inter-state trade for seven days, the Chief Minister will decide on extending the period for selling potatoes to other states," Majumdar added.
The decision to revisit the ban came after the West Bengal Cold Storage Association and the West Bengal Progressive Potato Merchants' Committee requested a meeting to discuss the matter. Potato farmers and traders in Bengal had been protesting the ban, fearing substantial financial losses and the potential loss of market share to other states, particularly Uttar Pradesh.
Bengal's potato traders expressed concerns that prolonged restrictions could result in losing major markets such as Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam, which typically rely on Bengal's potato supply. Annually, Bengal exports around 20-25 lakh tonnes of surplus potatoes to other states.
Tuesday's meeting, which included all key stakeholders, was seen as a positive step toward balancing the needs of local markets while preventing significant economic losses for the state's potato industry.
