Potato: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Dec 5: Amid rising political tensions surrounding the increase in potato prices in Odisha, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra accused opposition parties of orchestrating a man-made crisis to undermine the BJP government.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Patra asserted that an artificial scarcity of potatoes had been deliberately created to tarnish the state government’s image. He expressed confusion regarding the actions of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who initially halted the transportation of potatoes but later agreed to resume supplies. “I have no idea why she resorted to such politics,” Patra remarked.
The Minister emphasized that potato prices in the market are stabilizing and are expected to decline further in the coming days, assuring consumers that there is no need for concern. He stated that the state currently has an adequate supply of potatoes, explaining that price increases typically occur when availability diminishes. “Now, sufficient potatoes are available in the market, and prices have almost normalized. They will decrease further,” he noted.
Notably, Patra had previously indicated that Odisha would not be making any requests to the West Bengal government regarding potato supplies. This statement followed the West Bengal government’s recent decision to halt all potato exports, leaving several trucks stranded at the West Bengal-Odisha border.
