Bhubaneswar, Aug 9: The Odisha government on Friday decided to procure potatoes from Uttar Pradesh through NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd) and sell those to consumers at Rs 30 per kg in the State.

Odisha's Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister, K C Patra said, "The State government will purchase potatoes from Uttar Pradesh through NAFED and supply those to consumers at Rs 30 per kg."

"The State government has already placed an order through NAFED for procuring 300 metric tons of potatoes in the first phase. It will be available in the state by next weekend," he added.

In the first phase, the potatoes from Uttar Pradesh will be made available through government retail shops in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur, the Minister said.

Odisha has been facing an acute potato crisis after neighbouring West Bengal stopped transportation of the tuber and traders from the state refused to purchase it from Uttar Pradesh stating that people don't like the variety available in the northern state.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had recently met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in New Delhi and requested her to streamline potato supply to the state.

However, the price continued to remain high in Odisha markets due to the “erratic supply of potatoes from West Bengal”, sources said.

The price of potatoes continued to remain high at around Rs 60 per kg in the State.

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