Potato traders in West Bengal observed a strike on Tuesday due to restrictions on selling potatoes outside the state. However, they called off the strike this evening after the government promised to address their concerns.
The Progressive Potato Traders’ Association had initiated a state-wide “indefinite strike” from Tuesday in protest against the West Bengal government’s restrictions on potato sales to other states, a policy intended to stabilize local market prices.
Agriculture Marketing Minister Becharam Manna said, “Potato traders’ association called off the strike after assurances that the government would consider their grievances if they continued the supply. He, however, mentioned that small traders were not in favour of the strike.
The West Bengal government has recently reinstated restrictions on potato exports to adjacent states as local market prices rose to Rs 35-40 per kilogram.