An Udyan Fresh outlet and (above) a potato vendor. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 19: The state government’s whip to arrest the rising price of potato has failed to have its desired effect on retailers.

On Monday, the government had instructed potato retailers not to breach the Rs 20-a-kilo ceiling. But consumers today alleged that they were forced to buy the vegetable for Rs 30 a kg. At many places, consumers had heated exchange with the traders when they refused to pay more than the government stipulated price for a kilo of potato.

Consumers also complained that the government partnered Udyan Fresh shops in the city were selling potato at Rs 25 a kg.

Officials of civil supplies department, however, claimed that while carrying out checks during the day they found that potato price stood at Rs 20.

Secretary, food supplies and consumer welfare department, M.S. Padhi said that retailers were bound to sell potato at Rs 20 a kg because the wholesale price had dropped to Rs 16. Despite increased supply and decrease in wholesale prices, the retail rate of was not coming down.

“After the government order, many shopkeepers sold potato at Rs 20 a kg last evening. But this morning when I went to Unit-IV, the shopkeeper demanded Rs 30 for a kilo (of potato). When I told him about the government rate, he asked me either to buy from him or get lost,” said Gagan Mishra, a resident of Unit-II.

People alleged that the shopkeepers not only violated the government diktat, but were also misbehaving with the consumers.

“I bought potato for Rs 30 a kg from the market near my house today. When I told the shopkeeper about the government decision, he did not pay any heed to it. This led to an altercation with him,” said Abinash Pati, a retired schoolteacher.

An official of the civil supplies department said that 10 city markets were inspected today. “We have asked the shopkeepers to display the rate chart in their shops,” he said.

At Udyan Fresh shops, there were allegations of the tuber being sold at Rs 25. “As the price in the market is higher, I went to the nearby Udyan Fresh and they demanded Rs 27 a kg. When I asked an employee they said that they had no instruction from their higher ups,” said Adikant Palei, a resident of Chandrasekharpur.

However, operations head of Udyan Fresh Bijay Kumar Mahapatra said they had been sticking to the government’s orders.

An official of the civil supplies department said the city had enough stock of potatoes to bring the prices down to Rs 20 a kilo and less.