Bhubaneswar, Nov. 17: Wholesale rates of potato may have come down, but the price of the tuber still remains high in the retail market.
The state government, however, has been trying to keep prices in check by selling potato at Rs 22 per kg through Udyan Fresh outlets.
Wholesale traders said that they have been selling potato between Rs 22 and Rs 24 for a kg, but the price of a kilo of tuber in retail market continues to vary from Rs 35 to Rs 40.
“Government officials said that the rate of potato would come down after more procurement from other states. We are getting to know that more tuber-loaded trucks are reaching here, but it has not changed the rates. We do not know when normalcy will return,” said Nandini Nayak, a resident of IRC village.
With the holy month of Kartik ending today, people are returning to non-vegetarian fares and this has eased the prices of other vegetables. However, the high rates of potato remain a matter of concern.
The state civil supplies department has failed to take action against people pushing up the prices.
“We have been conducting raids on wholesale traders whenever they stockpile the stuff creating artificial shortage. But we have not got any proof regarding the inflated retail market price of the tuber. Whenever we ask retailers or wholesalers for money receipts, no one provides them. Though wholesale traders are claiming that they have been selling potato at Rs 22 and Rs 24 per kg, but retailers said that they have been getting tubers forRs 28 and Rs 30,” said a civil supplies official.
However the traders’ association has no answer to the high price of potato at retail markets.
Secretary of Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangh, Sudhakar Panda said that they had been selling potato at reasonable price, but had no control on retail market. But he did not comment on the claims of civil supply officials about the traders not showing the sale and purchase proofs.
Civil supplies secretary M.S. Padhi said that after more potato comes to the state the prices would come down in the market.
