Concern over potato supply to city as traders’ body calls strike
Times of India | 22 July 2024
Kolkata: Amidst soaring potato prices and mounting govt pressure, the Progressive Potato Traders’ Association declared an indefinite strike across Bengal starting Sunday. The strike raised concerns about potential disruptions in the potato supply to the city and the rest of the state, exacerbating worries among consumers already struggling with escalating vegetable prices.This decision followed a crucial meeting with the cold storage owners’ association held at a private hotel in Bankura.
Even though the current stock at the retail and wholesale hubs of the city is enough to sustain the supply for the next four to five days, the supply line issue might affect the price in the long run, said a trader.
Committee officials cited relentless govt pressure to lower potato prices as the primary reason for their drastic action. They allege that measures such as halting potato exports to other states and intercepting potato-laden trucks at state borders are worsening the situation.
Lalu Mukherjee, state secretary of the Progressive Potato Businessmen’s Committee, said that while they have opted for a strike, they are open to dialogue with the state govt. He expressed concerns that continued interference could lead to financial losses for traders and negatively impact their patronage.
Police barricades at Chirkunda (West Burdwan), Jamboni (West Midnapore), and Boxirhut (Alipurduar) have forced traders to shut down inter-state potato business. The traders announced that they would no longer be able to purchase potatoes from different cold storages.
Bengal’s panchayat and rural development minister Pradip Mazumdar, said, “We serve the state’s people first at a reasonable price, but the price has been fluctuating, so we requested traders to help stabilize the market.”