WB directs enforcement agencies to bridge retail-wholesale gap

Amid increase in prices of vegetables, the West Bengal government today directed enforcement agencies to ensure that the gap between retail and wholesale price of food products is brought under control.
At a task force meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna today, she was told that there is a lot of difference between retail and wholesale prices of many food products being sold in the state.
Officials said directions were issued to enforcement branch to conduct price test drives in various places and find out if there is any black marketing or profiteering going on.
Retail sellers will be asked to produce purchase bills to find out at what prices they are buying from the wholesale and then reselling in the market.

Officials said the main focus will now be on increasing the production of tomato, chilly and potatoes.
The state government imports pulses every year but now it plans to become self-sufficient in pulse production in the next couple of years as the area under production is increasing by 1 lakh hectare every year, Agriculture Minister Purnendu Basu said.
Instructions have also been issued to sell potatoes at Rs 14 per kg through the government-run fair price food stalls. There are 30 such stalls in Kolkata Municipal Corporation area alone.
During the meeting, officials said it was also decided that the assessment of prices will be done every fortnight.