West Bengal bans the sale and transportation of potatoes, onions outside the state leading to price rise

The West Bengal government has banned the sale and transportation of onion and potato outside the state to keep the price of onion and potato within reach. Due to this stance of Bengal, the price of potato in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha has increased up to ten rupees per kg. Due to the increase in prices and raising the issue directly in the Parliament, the political climate has heated up due to the potato.

West Bengal is the second largest potato producing state in the country after Uttar Pradesh. In Bengal, the price of potato has gone up to INR 35 per kg and the price of onion has gone up to INR 60 per kg. The West Bengal government has banned the sale and transportation of onions and potatoes outside the state. Potatoes are mainly sent from West Bengal to the states of Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar.

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Due to the West Bengal government's decision, potato prices in all three states have increased by Rs 10 per kg to Rs 35-40 per kg. On the other hand, the issue of banning the transport and sale of potatoes is being given a political colour. In Odisha, the ruling BJP has blamed the Bengal government for the inflation in Odisha. The opposition BJP is criticizing the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand for being unable to prevent inflation and price hike. Manish Jaiswal, Member of Parliament from Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, demanded the central government's intervention in the matter in the Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has supported its decision. Potato prices in the state have gone up to Rs 35 per kg. Transport and sale was banned to reduce intra-state rates. The West Bengal government has also said that we have banned potato exports from Jharkhand and Odisha to Bangladesh.

35 to 40 rupees per kg of potato in the state

About 65 percent of the total potato imported into the state every day comes from Uttar Pradesh. Potatoes stored in cold storage are available to Maharashtra throughout the year. Potato season is over now. Harvesting of potatoes planted in October November will start from the end of February. In Maharashtra, quality potato is currently being sold at INR 35 to INR 40 per kg.