Due to heavy rainfall there destroy of several crop, including potato. Potatoes are among the essential food items, there is now a potato crisis in the state. Sellers and producers are concerned about the production as well as supply.
Also, supply of potatoes from West Bengal to Odisha has stopped. Due to the low production in West Bengal, the government there is not releasing potatoes to Odisha. As a result, potato prices have skyrocketed across the state with the vegitable being sold at Rs 40 to Rs 50 per kg.
Considering these information, former Odisha chief minister and state Leader of Opposition (LoP) Naveen Patnaik wrote a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, requesting her to let the potato loaded trucks to cross to entre in Odisha.
In a letter Patnaik said, "Due to rains, there has been a short supply of potatoes in Odisha market, resulting in an artificial price hike adding to the sufferings of common person. I understand from media that long queues of trucks loaded with potatoes are waiting at the West Bengal Odisha border."
"On earlier similar occasions, your noble gesture has earned the love and affection of our people. People of Odisha and West Bengal have strong cultural bonds and we are all devotees of Mahaprabhu Sri Jagannath," Patnaik's letter reads.
"I request you to kindly intervene in the matter and ensure smooth supply of potatoes to Odisha," he wrote.
Amid rising potato prices, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Thursday visited a potato godown at Aiginia in Bhubaneswar and after inspection, he termed the situation as artificial. He said that the government would import potatoes from Uttar Pradesh to meet the demand and control the price rise.