RANCHI/DHANBAD: The price of potato has shot up by Rs 5 a kg in Jharkhand’s retail market in the past two days after neighbouring West Bengal reportedly restricted the supply of the tuber, an official said on Saturday.In a bid to maintain the stock and keep the price of potato under control, the West Bengal government has allegedly put a restriction on interstate supply of the tuber, according to a potato traders’ association in West Bengal.West Bengal meets 60 per cent of Jharkhand’s potato demand round the year, while the rest of the demand is met by Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and local production.”Around 50-55 trucks, each containing 20-22 tonnne of potato, arrive in Jharkhand from West Bengal. We were informed that the trucks were stopped at Bengal check posts from Thursday, which fuelled the prices of potato in wholesale as well as retail markets from Friday in the state,” Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), Jamshedpur, secretary Abhishek Anand told PTI.He said that the production of locally grown potatoes was delayed by a month this year, which has also impacted the prices.”The supply from other states is going on as usual,” he said.Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi on Saturday urged the newly elected Hemant Soren-led government to hold a talk with the West Bengal government to deal with the situation, as people of the state are already suffering with the rising prices of potato.Former president and advisor of West Bengal Progressive Potato Traders Association (WBPPTA), Bibhas Kumar Dey, told PTI over phone, “The West Bengal police have increased vigilance on bordering areas in a bid to curb export of potatoes to other states. Hundreds of potato-laden trucks were sent back during these checks since Wednesday evening. The move is causing a huge loss to the traders.” He said that they would hold a meeting on Saturday to find out a solution to the problem.
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