Bhubaneswar, Aug. 18: The potato crisis in the state has been resolved with Bengal government lifting its unofficial ban on the supply of the important vegetable.

However, traders here fear that the situation may worsen if the state government does not take any step now. Bengal will review its stance on August 24. The traders say that the situation could become worse if the Bengal government imposes the restriction again after August 24.

Sources said that on an average, 4,500 tonnes of potato a day would come to the state from Bengal. Around 400 trucks of potato have come to the state in last two days through the Laxmannath check gate.

“The administration there has not given any instruction to their traders beyond August 24. If the state government does not take precautionary measures, the situation will worsen,” said Sudhakar Panda, secretary of the Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangha.

After the arrival of the tuber, the wholesale rate has gone down to Rs 18-20 a kg from Rs 24-28 a kg two days ago. However, the retailers continue to sell it at Rs 25-28 a kg. At many places, people complained that rates have not been reduced despite the supply picking up. Many traders complained that the trucks were detained at the border for over a week and the potatoes had started rotting. “We will suffer heavy losses if we do not sell these potatoes soon and we have to sell them at a high price to recover our buying cost,” said a retailer.

Besides, of the 3,040 quintals of potato bought through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (Nafed), only 1,000 quintals have reached the state. These have been forwarded to different parts of the state to be sold at Rs 24 a kg. The remaining amount was expected to reach this week. As the situation has eased, the state government has stopped procuring potato from its cold storages.

Officials in the food and civil supplies department said they were trying to focus on the present scenario. “”Potatoes are coming through Nafed. Talks are also on with the Bengal and other governments for supply of tubers to the state. We hope the situation will improve shortly,” said an official.