WB’s surplus potatoes face spoilage threat amid exports halt; Odisha grapples with shortage

West Bengal is currently grappling with excess potato supply, a situation which sees storage facilities filled to their limits and resulting in a potential threat of spoilage, a source informed on Monday.

According to the source, presently, around 7,00,000 metric tonnes of potatoes are held in cold storage across the state. However, an export ban imposed by the state government has prevented these excess potatoes from being shipped to other regions of the country.

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In response to this impasse, the Progressive Potato Traders' Association has declared an indefinite cessation of operations at all cold storage facilities from tomorrow. The state's estimated consumption is approximately 5,00,000 metric tonnes, leaving a considerable surplus of around 2,00,000 metric tonnes in jeopardy of going to waste.

“There are around 7 lakh to 7.5 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes in West Bengal cold storages. The stocks will last till December end. However, our chief minister does not allow us to export the potatoes. She has sealed the borders and stopped export to other states,” the traders’ outfit advisor Sukumar Samant said when contacted.

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On the other hand, Odisha has been facing a shortage of potatoes after West Bengal refused to export.

Notably, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has arranged a meeting with potato traders later today to deliberate on the crisis. This crucial dialogue aims to tackle the immediate concerns and explore viable solutions for managing the surplus while averting wastage.

Reported By: Partha