West Bengal potato traders call off strike; crisis to ease in Odisha!

Traders in West Bengal called off their protest on Tuesday concerning potato distribution after fresh discussions with the state government. This has sparked a ray of hope in Odisha.

The Progressive Potato Traders' Association and Cold Store Owners’ Association (two local outfits) had been in negotiations with government officials to resolve the issue. However, the earlier talks had not yielded success.

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Recent discussions seem to have prompted the traders to end their protest. However, the implications of this decision on the potato supply issues in Odisha remain unclear.

There is still no confirmation on whether trucks carrying potatoes from West Bengal will start deliveries to Odisha. The previous protests were triggered after a decision to halt the movement of potatoes to other states to ensure that local surplus is managed accordingly.

When contacted, West Bengal potato traders’ outfit president Jagabandhu Mondal said, “After a discussion with the Government that failed yesterday, we decided at our General Body meeting to observe cease-work for the next 48 hours ending Wednesday midnight.

Thereafter, we will resume the distribution. The decision was taken keeping the interest of the public in mind.”

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The government wants more time to find a solution but has not confirmed as to when the issue will be resolved, the traders’ state unit chief Mondal further said.

Worth mentioning, West Bengal is currently grappling with excess potato supply, a situation which has left storage facilities filled to their limits and resulting in a potential threat of spoilage, a source informed yesterday.

Presently, around 7,00,000 metric tonnes of potatoes have been kept in cold stores 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.

West Bengal's estimated consumption is approximately 5,00,000 metric tonnes, leaving a considerable surplus of around 2,00,000 metric tonnes at the risk of going to waste.

Reported By: Partha