TV
Amid a potato crisis, the Odisha Food and Civil Supplies Minister on Saturday stated that the State would not make any requests to the West Bengal government to supply the tuber.
The statement from the minister came just two days after the West Bengal government reportedly halted all potato exports from its side. The decision had led to several potato-laden trucks being stranded along the West Bengal-Odisha border near Belda after being denied permission to cross.
Taking a firm note of the situation, Odisha’s Food Supply Minister Krushna Chandra Patra announced that it will no longer request potatoes from West Bengal. However, if West Bengal sends potatoes on its own, the state will accept them.
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Speaking to the media, the minister further clarified that Odisha is not facing a potato shortage and thus does not need to rely on the neighbouring state.
Continuing further, Patra also added that sufficient stock of potatoes from Uttar Pradesh has already started arriving in Odisha, ensuring no chance of a shortage.
Besides, he stated the state government was also in touch with the Punjab government to ensure a steady supply of potatoes.
“We are not going to have any talks with Mamata Banerjee. She stated in the media that her government will not send potatoes to Odisha so there is no point in talking to her. Potatoes can come from Uttar Pradesh or Punjab,” said Krushna Chandra Patra.
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The Food Supply Minister also said that potato prices in Odisha’s market have remained stable. Additionally, he also warned against hoarding and black marketing, stating that strict action would be taken if potatoes were sold at inflated rates.
