TV
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, who is in Delhi to attend the NITI Aayog meeting, met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in the National Capital on Saturday and held an elaborate discussion on the potato supply issue.
According to sources, Majhi met Banerjee at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, which is also the venue for the NITI Aayog meeting, and urged her to take necessary steps to resolve the problem at the earliest.
During the meeting, Majhi elaborated how the crisis has affected the common man in Odisha. People close to the development are hopeful that the meet may yield a positive result, sources added.
Notably, the price of the kitchen essential has shot up to Rs 50-60 per kg after West Bengal imposed a temporary halt on the export of potatoes to other states.
Sources informed that potato procurement from West Bengal has resumed following a discussion with the neighbouring government, informed Odisha Food & Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra.
“The price of potato soared as it could not be imported from West Bengal. But following a discussion with the neighbouring government, the trucks carrying potatoes have started entering Odisha. Potato is being sold at normal rates in the market,” Patra said adding that potato is now being sold at Rs 32 to Rs 34 per kilo.
Earlier yesterday, Patra had held the then BJD government responsible for the present crisis in the State.
“While the potato and onion missions of the previous BJD government failed miserably, it did not take enough initiatives or boost infrastructure like cold storages or increase potato and onion production in the State,” Patra had alleged.
Similarly, the state traders association blamed the failure of the potato mission launched during the tenure of Naveen Patnaik's government. While Odisha requires 14.5 lakh tons of potatoes every year, the State is only producing 80,000-90,000 tons of potatoes per year.
