Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government’s effort to sell potatoes at reduced prices has met with consumer reluctance in Capital city. Potatoes sourced from Uttar Pradesh and sold at `30 per kilogram have not been well-received due to quality issues. In collaboration with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department aimed to address the potato shortage and ease the crisis. Despite this, many sellers in various markets continue to sell potatoes at Rs 40 per kilogram, as consumers avoid the Uttar Pradesh supply, which reportedly rots quickly.
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The first phase of the initiative saw 60 tonnes of potatoes transported to Bhubaneswar in three trucks. These were sold at strategic locations, including near the Additional District Magistrate’s office and government fair price shops.
Initially, the affordable supply is set to be available at government retail outlets in major cities, such as Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, and others, with a fixed price of 30 per kilogram. Kabiraj Swain, president of the Unit-I Vegetable Traders Association, pointed out that the poor quality of the UP potatoes has turned consumers away. He mentioned that while sellers were instructed to charge between Rs 30-35, some are still pricing at Rs 40.
