Cold storage of potatoes to maintain retail price stability: Experts

The initiative on the part of the Mamata Banerjee government to store potatoes in cold storages nearly free of charge in the month of December is likely to maintain retail prices at a stable level even in February-March, according to trade sources.The state has produced 100 lakh tonnes of potatoes this year.

The state government has already issued a notification in this regard, stating that potatoes can be kept in the cold storages till December 15 without paying any additional rent and beyond this period till December 31 at an extra rent at the rate of Rs 12 per quintal could be charged from the users of the cold storages.

It may be mentioned that in the end of November, cold storages are closed for routine maintenance work for the next year. So, a huge amount of potatoes are dispatched to the market which is much more than the demand. Thus the farmers are forced to go in for distress sell of their produce.


"Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed government officials to keep the potato prices under control. Every year the price of potatoes start soaring steadily in January and February and so this time the government has decided to extend the storage facility till another month, which will create a supply-demand balance. This will ensure a parity in the market price," said a senior government official.