Seizure of potato on, price under control: Minister

Seizure of potato laden trucks bound for other states continued all over West Bengal for the second consecutive day today, even as the state government said the measure had already yielded results with the check in rising potato prices.
"The situation has improved as we have not received any major complaint from anywhere in the state today. Potato price is under control all over the state," state Agriculture Minister Purnendu Bose told PTI here today.
Clampdown on potato laden trucks for other states started here following a directive from the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The state administration also earmarked a ceiling for potato stock in both wholesale and retail markets to prevent its hoarding.

The minister said altogether 119 trucks of potatoes were seized yesterday and the entire stock was stored in three spots in godowns at Milan Mela complex, Ultadanga and Hastings.
Adequate seizures were also made today and the state administration has started sending them to different markets for their sale in government regulated price, Bose said.

"The state administration has arranged to sale the seized potato (Jyoti variety) at Rs 12 per kg to the retailers who will sale them at Rs 14 per kg in local markets," he said.
Similar steps have been taken in districts, where seizures were also made by the police and Enforcement Branch officials.

A day-long strike called by the pro-Left Progressive Potato Traders' Association did not have any impact, the minister claimed.
BJP had yesterday flayed the policy of the state government saying it would in turn trigger rise in prices of vegetables, fish and other essential items.
"If other states now stop exporting vegetables, egg, onions, fish and essential items to Bengal, what will happen here?" BJP state president Rahul Sinha asked.
Bose, however, ruled out the allegation saying a large number of trucks of fish, egg and vegetables today entered the state from Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand.
"After the potato price stabilised, these states will also get supply of potato from our state. After all we are neighbours and there is no scope of enmity," he said.