Mamata government to act tough against hoarders to check potato price surge

The Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal has decided to act tough against middlemen and hoarders, who have been jacking up potato prices. While the agriculture marketing minister Tapan Dasgupta has carried out a survey in various retail markets on Sunday, the government is also mulling to sell potatoes at a controlled price.Potato is now being available at the retail end at a price of Rs 22 -24 per kg.

On Sunday evening, Dasgupta met farmer leaders so that they keep a watch on the market and identify people who are jacking up prices..“The chief minister has expressed her worry over the price-rise. She has also asked me to keep a close watch on the price of other vegetables,“ said Dasgupta. West Bengal is the second largest producer of the tuber and this year the production is likely to be 95 lakh tonnes.

He added, “After a few days, I will submit the final report to the chief minister detailing the roadmap to check prices in the retail markets. We cannot allow a certain section of traders to make the most out of this situation. We have already conveyed this to traders. If they do not desist from adopting unethical methods, we will take legal action against them”.