Bhubaneswar: Odisha Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister KC Patra has blamed the West Bengal government for the current potato crisis in the state. It said on Thursday that it was creating an artificial shortage to discredit the BJP government in Odisha. “Artificial scarcity was created to malign the Odisha government,” he said. Recently the West Bengal Chief Minister stopped the supply of potatoes to Odisha. She later agreed to reinstate him.
“I don’t understand why it (the West Bengal government) is doing this,” Patra said amid criticism of the way the crisis was being handled. It is clear that when there is less supply in the market, prices will go up.” When asked how long the crisis would last, Patra said, “At present there is sufficient stock of potatoes in Odisha and prices will come down. However, opposition Biju Janata Dal MLA Gautam Budh criticized Patra’s remarks and accused him of shirking responsibility.
“The prime minister is making such statements to cover up the government’s failure to meet the potato needs of the people,” Budha said. The truth is that people are worried.” On November 28, the West Bengal government banned potato exports after the price of potatoes in local markets reached Rs 35-40 per kg, leading to a severe potato shortage in Odisha. As a result of this ban, hundreds of trucks of potatoes bound for Odisha returned from the border. This created a panic in the markets of Odisha and potato prices rose to Rs. 60 had been reached. Patra assured that the Odisha government would import potatoes from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab if the West Bengal government stopped the supply again. He said that Odisha is highly dependent on its neighboring state for potatoes.
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