The Odisha government today asked all the district collectors to arrest traders found hoarding potatoes after reports of soaring price of the tuber poured in from across the state.
The department concerned, in a letter, has asked supply officials and all the district collectors to take necessary measures against potato hoarders.
Traders selling potatoes at a higher price should be arrested for violation of the rules under the Essential Commodities Act, the letter said.
"Stern action would be taken against wholesale traders if they are found hoarding potatoes beyond the prescribed limit," Patro said.
Stating that the stock limit of potatoes has been fixed by his department, Patro said the wholesale traders in Cuttack can keep a maximum of 500 quintal of potatoes and those in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Puri, Sambalpur and Rourkela, 350 quintal.
"The limit in the remaining places in the state is 150 quintal," the minister said.
In a bid to ensure smooth transport of potatoes to Odisha from the neighbouring states, the minister said specific instructions have been given to collectors of the bordering districts.
"The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) has fixed the price of potato at Rs 16 per kg which is equivalent to the market price in Bhubaneswar," Patro said, adding that the price of potato is unlikely to below Rs 16 per kg.
While the state required 12.5 lakh metric tonne of potatoes per annum, Odisha farmers produce only 3 lakh metric tonne of potatoes, he said.
Therefore, the state government has been procuring potatoes from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, he added.
Since the harvesting in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh this year has been severely affected due to unseasonal rainfall, potato prices have climbed steeply in Odisha due to shortage of supply, the minister added.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)