CM Mamata Banerjee concerned as Bengal govt’s potato, onion stocks deplete

With onions and potatoes nonetheless promoting at double their regular value, their dwindling inventory within the government-freezers has come as a reason behind concern for the Mamata Banerjee administration, which is gearing up for the essential 2021 meeting elections.

When the costs had hit the roof, the state authorities was offering onions and potatoes at half the market value to shoppers from its personal shops. But that inventory is anticipated to final until December solely.

“The prices of potatoes and onions are rising. As of now we are providing them at reasonable prices from our stocks. But that will last till December only. I don’t know what will happen after that. I have written a letter to the Prime Minister,” Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal, stated whereas talking in an administrative assembly earlier this week.

In February this 12 months, the state authorities had deliberate to buy round a million tons of potato from farmers. The authorities may, nevertheless, buy solely round 42,000 tons of potato earlier than the lockdown began.

“At a time when potatoes are selling in the local market at Rs 45 per kilo, the government is selling at Rs 25 per kilo from 630 outlets. The stock won’t last long,” stated a senior official of the state authorities.

Even although consultants are hopeful that the costs of potatoes and onions will go down as soon as contemporary provides hit the market within the winter, the federal government appears to be involved and has requested all chilly storage items to clear their shares by November 30.

“This will prevent any kind of hoarding and provide some relief before the fresh winter supplies hit the market. The main concern is that if there is a shortage of supply resulting in a price rise the opposition will get a chance to attack the government before the elections,” stated a TMC chief.

Banerjee had earlier despatched a letter to Modi urging the Prime Minister to both management the costs of potatoes and onions or permit the state to take action. The parliament had in September handed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to decontrol commodities equivalent to cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes.

“Winter vegetables are being harvested. We hope that the prices would come down once the fresh supplies hit the market in the winter. The prices of some vegetable such as cauliflower and brinjal have already come down. The prices of onion and potatoes are also expected to decline,” stated Rabindranath Kole, a member of the federal government’s activity drive.

West Bengal wants round six million tons of potato and round eight lakh tons of onion. While the lion’s share of the potato crop is grown in varied districts of south Bengal, 80% of the onions come from Maharashtra and different states in south India.