Bhograi: While the soaring price of onion has left the people crying, they are going to face a similar situation in case of potatoes in coming days. This was hinted by traders from West Bengal.
Potatoes are sold for Rs 18 a kg now. At some places, it is sold for Rs 25 a kg. The supply of potatoes from West Bengal has been in a stalemate. Since December 18, potato price has been rising.
The neighbouring state is in turmoil over the anti-CCA protests. The ongoing protests have a bearing on potato traders in Bengal.
Owing to the violence and protests, transporters are reluctant to carry potatoes, traders said.
However, traders from Odisha alleged that the protests are an excuse for Bengal traders to hike the price of the kitchen essential.
In January, freshly produced potatoes will come to the market. Traders are bracing up to take their old stocks out from the 543 cold storages in West Bengal so that they can stock the new produce. At this time, the price of potato should come down, but the Bengal traders are trying to create artificial shortage of the tuber to rake in the moolah.
Baran Mandal, president of Paschima Banga Pragatishila Alu Bayabasayin Sangh, said that the retail price of potato is Rs 19 now but it will rise in the coming days.
Some traders in Odisha, have started sensing that that the price of potato will go up in coming days.
They said that if the state government fails to rein in the marketing and supply of potatoes, people will face a 2014-like situation when the price of potato had skyrocketed to over Rs 100 a kg.