The state supply department distributes potato to PDS dealers in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 12: The availability of potato has gone up with more stock reaching the state today, but prices remain high.

An official said the Bengal government had softened its stance on potato supply to Odisha. While 10 trucks of potatoes reached Bhubaneswar from Bengal yesterday and seven to Cuttack, 30 more potato-laden trucks today arrived in the city. However, the tuber is still being sold at Rs 40 a kg or more.

“Yesterday, I sold five sacks of potato very quickly, as people had been waiting for it for the past four days. Today, I got equal number of potato sacks from the wholesale stockyard at Aiginia. The rate at the stockyard is between Rs 26 and Rs 30 a kg and we sell in the retail market accordingly,” said Sumant Sahu, a retail trader at Ruchika market.

Residents were relieved after the tuber was available again at local shops. Despite the high price — Rs 45 a kg on the city outskirts and Rs 40 in the city — people appeared happy that they were at least getting it.

The high price forced many people to buy potato from the Udyan Fresh and government shops where it is being sold at Rs 22 a kg. Buyers today thronged the 11 Udyan Fresh shops and 140 government-recognised kiosks. “We prefer to buy it from the fair-price shops because the price is at least Rs 15 less here,” said Old Town resident Sangram Senapati.

A trader said the situation would become normal with the arrival of potato from other states. Sudhakar Panda, secretary of the Odisha Traders’ Association said 200 trucks of potato today reached the state from Bengal and 30 of them had been supplied to Bhubaneswar.

“With the softening of stance of the Bengal government, we are procuring potato from there and hope to continue it. Besides, we are in talks with the Uttar Pradesh government because it is one of the leading potato producers. We are also in search of other sources. This will continue till the cultivation peaks up here,” said Panda.

The traders are planning to procure around 20,000 sacks of potato from Agra. But they would take at least two days to reach the state. Panda said that after this supply worked out, the rates would fall. Besides, the production of new potatoes will also reduce the price.

Civil supplies and consumer welfare secretary M.S. Padhi said the potato situation was now under control. “We have asked the National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India to procure 400 tonnes of potatoes everyday for three days from Uttar Pradesh. This will be provided to six cities. Then we will review the situation, and if need be, procure more,” said Padhi.

The prices of other vegetables remain high. With the holy five days of Kartik month, Panchuka, starting tomorrow, people will find it hard to stick to an entirely vegetarian diet.