After Bengal CM prod, potato follows onion in price dip
Times of India | 23 November 2024
12 Kolkata: Potato prices dipped in both retail and wholesale markets of Kolkata on Friday following CM Mamata Banerjee's stern warning against profiteering through price hikes a day before. The Jyoti variety, which sold for Rs 35 per kg in retail markets on Thursday, dropped to Rs 32-Rs 33 per kg on Friday. Similarly, the Chandramukhi variety saw its price dip from Rs 43-Rs 45 per kg to Rs 42 in some markets.
In wholesale markets, potato prices fell by Rs 2-Rs 5 per kg after the CM's directives, bringing the price down from Rs 27 per kg on Thursday. The state govt plans further measures to regulate the market, with agri-marketing minister Becharam Manna scheduled to meet potato traders at the Haripal Block Development Office (BDO) on Saturday.
While some traders attributed the price hikes to market dynamics, Lalu Mukherjee, president of the West Bengal Potato Traders Association, rejected allegations of their involvement. "We have no control over the Kolkata markets. Prices in the districts have remained constant and under control," he stated. However, sources revealed that a section of middlemen profited by purchasing potatoes at lower rates and selling them at inflated prices in urban markets.
State officials have assured that sufficient stocks of potatoes are available in cold storages across Bengal. Approximately 10 lakh tonnes of potatoes are stored in 475 cold storages, which should meet demand until Dec.
Barun Pandit, secretary of the Paschim Medinipur Potato Traders' Association, explained that much of the district's crop is sent to neighbouring states due to its lower quality, which limits sales in Kolkata and other districts. Varieties like Jyoti and Bahar are supplied to Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
Pandit warned that halting interstate potato exports would harm both farmers and traders. "If these potatoes are not sold within 15 days, their value will plummet, impacting farmers preparing for the next cultivation cycle," he said.
Sources indicated that after Saturday's meeting with traders, the govt would launch a large-scale drive to stabilise potato prices and prevent exploitation by middlemen. The traders' association has also urged the govt to either allow interstate trade or directly purchase the potatoes from them to avoid financial losses.