Bhubaneswar, Dec 1: Potato prices in Odisha are expected to fall soon due to the arrival of a large shipment from Uttar Pradesh, consisting of 300 trucks filled with potatoes.
According to Krushna Chandra Patra, the state’s Food and Consumer Welfare Minister, the consignment is expected to reach Odisha by tomorrow, which should help stabilize market prices.
At present, potatoes are being sold at Rs 35-40 per kilogram in retail markets. However, with the additional supply, prices are anticipated to decrease, providing relief to consumers who have been struggling with high costs.
The government has also issued a warning to those engaged in black marketing of potatoes.
Minister Patra took the opportunity to criticize the West Bengal government for halting potato shipments to Odisha.
Odisha has long relied on West Bengal for its potato supply, with the neighboring state providing around 90% of the region’s demand.
Meanwhile, potato traders in West Bengal have threatened to go on strike on Tuesday if the state government does not lift the restrictions on selling potatoes to other states. The West Bengal government recently re-imposed these restrictions in an attempt to control local potato prices, where potatoes are being sold at Rs 35-40 per kilogram.
