Cyclone ‘Montha’ sparks panic buying in Odisha; traders assure ample supply, appeal against hoarding

Panic buying gripped several markets across Odisha due to fears surrounding Cyclone Montha. Reports from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Berhampur indicated that many customers were buying 4 to 5 kg of essentials like potatoes at once out of fear of scarcity, prompting local vendors to hike prices.

Amid the chaos, the Odisha Traders’ Federation has appealed to citizens to remain calm, assuring that the state has ample stock of essential commodities, especially potatoes.

Ample Supply, No Shortage Expected

Addressing public concerns on Monday, Odisha Traders’ Federation General Secretary Sudhakar Panda said Odisha has more than sufficient stock of potatoes to meet demand despite temporary supply disruptions from Kolkata over the past two days.

“All crude supply stores in Kolkata were closed, so no potatoes were shipped to Odisha. But from today, the situation has normalised, trucks are moving again, and by tomorrow morning, there could even be a surplus,” Panda said.

He added that potato prices currently stand around Rs 20 per kg, with some small traders selling at Rs 25 per kg in certain markets due to a sudden surge in bulk buying. “There is no need for panic. Stock is stable and sufficient,” he assured.

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Panic Buying And Black Marketing Warned Against

The Traders’ Federation cautioned that strict measures would be taken against any traders involved in black marketing or price manipulation during the ongoing cyclone alert. “We are coordinating with authorities to prevent artificial scarcity,” Panda stated.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, who chaired a high-level review meeting at the Special Relief Commissioner’s office on Sunday, echoed similar warnings.

“If anybody tries to take advantage of this situation by hoarding essential goods or engaging in black marketing, stern and exemplary action will follow,” Pujari said. He further directed all district administrations to monitor market activity closely.

Cyclone Montha Moves Closer To Coast

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Cyclone Montha has intensified over the Bay of Bengal and is advancing towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, likely to make landfall near Kakinada on October 28.

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As of Monday morning, the system was located 850 km southeast of Gopalpur and 680 km southeast of Kakinada, moving west-northwestwards at 16 kmph. IMD forecasts the system to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm before landfall between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam by Tuesday night.