If potato prices continue to increase in Cuttack, India, the government is considering selling the commodity at fair price shops to provide some relief for consumers. Government officials has also been conducting surprise checks on potato wholesalers at Chhatra Bazaar and Krushak Bazaar from Thursday 10 March onwards, to monitor the price rise in retail markets.
When potato prices skyrocketed in the state earlier, Cuttack was among the first few districts to start selling the vegetable at fair price shops. Special teams will also conduct raids on potato warehouses in the city to keep a check on hoarding. Retailers will be instructed to sell the vegetable at appropriate prices.
The vegetable traders' association has ruled out the possibility of hoarding in Cuttack. There are only 8-10 big potato wholesalers in the city. "It is difficult for traders to hoard potatoes as we do not have well-equipped cold storages to stock the vegetables. In fact, 5-7% of the vegetables rot during transportation. So we can't risk stocking it," said secretary of Chhatra Bazaar vegetable traders' association, Debendra Sahoo.
Sahoo attributed the price rise to low production in West Bengal. "This year, West Bengal's potato production has gone down by almost 30-40%," added Sahoo. Traders in Cuttack import potato from West Bengal. On Tuesday 8 March, the wholesale price of a kg of potato was Rs 13 while it was sold in the retail market at Rs 16 to Rs 18.
