No quick fix to plight of potato farmers in Bengal: Minister

Kolkata, March 19 (IANS) There will be no immediate alleviation of the plight of potato farmers in West Bengal even as the state government is taking measures to combat the crisis, Agricultural Minister Purnendu Basu said on Thursday.

"People who think the measures taken by the state government will solve the problem immediately will be dismayed. It is a system (resolution of the plight) and takes time to translate into an action...the government had taken steps as soon as it realised the problem," Agricultural Minister Purnendu Basu told reporters on the sidelines of an event organised by the MCC Chamber of Commerce here.

Following a bumper harvest this year, farmers have allegedly not been getting proper remunerative prices amid reports of several debt-stressed farmers taking their lives. However, the state government has claimed the deaths were due to family issues and not debts.

The minister said his government would buy 50,000 metric tonnes of potatoes directly (from farmers) to supply to the Integrated Child Development Services scheme and Mid-Day meal programme free of cost.

The state government will also buy potatoes directly from farmers at Rs.5.50 per kg and sell at Rs.7 per kg through its 20 Sufal stores (fair-price stalls) in West Bengal, said Basu.

"Since there is a production surplus, we are looking at exporting it to foreign countries and talks are on in this regard. To encourage businessmen to come forward for exports, a corpus fund of Rs.10 crore has been created," he said.

The Trinamool minister said his government will offer subsidies for exporting potatoes from the state.

He said potatoes are also being exported to other states which are in need.

Officials from the state agricultural department said potato production in the state has been to the tune of 1.20 crore tonne against the demand of 74 lakh tonne while West Bengal's cold storage chain can store only 65 lakh tonne.