Munda blames UPA govt's agri policy for rise in potato prices

Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda today accused the UPA government at the Centre and said its wrong agriculture policy was responsible for the rise in potato prices and shortage of the tuber.
It is because of the wrong agriculture policy of the UPA government, which resulted in drastic rise in prices of potato after onion, Munda told reporters here.
The prevailing policy has disappointed many farmers and had also led to some of them committing suicide, he alleged.
The BJP leader suggested the government's approach should be to ensure that farmers produce more.
When sought his reaction over the rise in the price of potato and its short supply in Jharkhand, Munda said the Hemant Soren-led coalition government in the state should have taken up the issue with the West Bengal government.

On West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's decision to ban export of potato to neighbouring states, he said such steps would only harm the existing federal structure of the country.
Describing Banerjee's decision as "improper", Munda said the system of future trading and monopolisation of commodities and consumer items were also responsible for the prevailing situation.
Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik supremo Babulal Marandi, who was the first Chief Minister of Jharkhand after its creation in 2000, also said the state government should take initiative and resolve the ongoing potato crisis at the earliest.