Bitter potato

Potato growers across Odisha are up in arms against government agencies for not purchasing their produce. Earlier this week, aggrieved farmers from Sambalpur dumped a large quantity of potatoes at the entrance of the office of the deputy director of horticulture. They were miffed that state authorities, which had announced last month that some government agencies would purchase potatoes from farmers to prevent distress sale, did not keep their word. The sad part was that last year, Odisha had faced a severe shortage of the tuber, prompting the government to set up a 'Potato Mission' and announcing plans to keep buffer stocks.