By IANS,
Kolkata : West Bengal government Tuesday included potato under the essential commodities category to prevent its hoarding and arrest its rising prices, state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta said.
The government issued a notification under the West Bengal Prevention of Hoarding of Essential Food Stuffs Order, 2009, declaring potato cannot be stocked beyond a permissible limit.
The order also enables government representatives to check godowns for excess stock of the tuberous crop.
“Under this order, essential commodities potato, edible oil, mustard and dal (pulses) cannot be hoarded,” Dasgupta told reporters at the state secretariat.
On Wednesday state police commissioner will meet wholesalers and retailers in Kolkata to instruct them on how much potato they can store. Similar awareness campaigns will be led by the district magistrates in the districts, he said.
The wholesalers can store up to 400 quintal and the retailers can store 30 quintals.
After a steep rise in potato price to Rs.18 per kg, the state government from July 11 started selling it at Rs.13 a kg in 12 vegetable markets in Kolkata. Similar sales outlets are being opened in the various districts in a phased manner.