WB government selling onions at Rs36 in 40 stores through state

Kolkata: In view of the spiralling prices of onion, the West Bengal government has made arrangements to sell onion at Rs 36 per kg through 40 stores, state’s Agriculture Marketing Minister Arup Roy has said. [caption id=“attachment_1194609” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The state government had no other option but to take some immediate steps to keep the prices of onion under control, Roy told reporters here today. Also concerned with the hike in potato price, Roy said the government has fixed potato (Jyoti variety) price at Rs 14 and Chandramukhi variety at Rs 16 per kg. The Minister said he has issued an order to the cold storage owners to release entire potato stock within November 30. Nearly 18 to 19 lakh tonnes of potato were there in the cold storages still, he said. Besides this, the state government has banned transport of potato to other states till the problem was solved, he said. “Common people can’t afford to spend such an exhorbitant price, while rates of all essential commodities and vegetables are going up very fast,” Roy said. Roy, however, expressed hope that onion price would come down soon with the arrival of fresh produce in the market. Earlier the state government had set up fair-price shops to sell essential items like medicines, fish, chicken and vegetables. A special task force, senior officials of the concerned department, including agriculture marketing, enforcement branch and representative of the traders, had already been set up by the state government to monitor prices of these items. Massive raids were also being conducted by the Enforcement Branch officials against hoarding of these essential commodities and vegetables, Roy said. PTI