State sets potato price at Rs 25/Kg from cold storage to curb retail costs
Kolkata: In its efforts to keep the potato price in the retail market within Rs 30 per kg, the state government has decided that potatoes will be sold at Rs 25 per kg from cold storage across the state.
State Agricultural Marketing minister Becharam Manna in the presence of senior officials of his department and Pradip Majumder, state Panchayats and Rural Development minister and Agriculture Advisor to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a meeting with representatives from cold storage association and potato traders at Tapasi Malik Kisan Mandi in Singur.
“If we can ensure that the purchase rate from the cold storages is Rs 25 per kg, then the retail market price should not go beyond Rs 30 per kg,“ a senior official of state Agricultural Marketing department said.
The price of potatoes sold from cold storage will be Rs 23 per kg in Bankura, Midnapore and Purulia under supervision of the state government.
The potato traders flagged off the issue of export from the state which has been curbed under the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee in a meeting last month reiterated exports should be stopped till the price stabilises in the market.
Following this, the police stepped up vigil at the border and stopped the export of potatoes.
Manna has promised to bring this matter of export before the Chief Minister. “The final decision will be taken by the Chief Minister based on deliberations in the meeting which will be briefed to her,” the official added.
According to sources in the Agriculture Marketing department, the farmers’ price is Rs 1040 for a 50 kg sack. The price at the wholesale market is Rs 1350 for 50 kg. However, in the retail market, the price has still been in the range of Rs 1700.