"Since last night, around 8 lakh packets of 50kg each have been dispatched compared to the normal daily average of 6 lakh packets," said
He assured the state government of adequate supply and asserted that traders would refrain from exporting the produce to other states for now, as the government has pledged to address local concerns first.
Rabindranath Kole from the Traders Forum and a state task force member said, "The news of the strike withdrawal has led to some price reduction, but a significant decrease will be seen at the wholesale level, which hovered at Rs 34 per kg, once the produce hits the market in sufficient quantities."
The
"The strike had been withdrawn. Agriculture Marketing Minister Becharam Manna had assured us on behalf of the state government of an amicable solution," Mukherjee said on Wednesday.
To mitigate the strike's impact, the West Bengal government had earlier decided to engage self-help groups (SHGs) to sell
"Strike by the
According to Manna, cold storages and traders have assured the government of supplying potatoes at Rs 26 per kg at the cold storage level. This should help bring down the price to close to Rs 30 per kg for the non-premium Jyoti variety.
"There is an assurance from cold storage units that they will supply potatoes at Rs 26 per kg. We will ensure that the supply is not disrupted," Manna added.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had recently directed officials to take steps to control the prices of vegetables, including potatoes. Task forces formed by the state government have been conducting raids in markets to prevent hoarding.
The strike had spiked potato prices in retail markets between Rs 40 and Rs 45 per kg.