2 min readKolkataJul 18, 2014 11:22 AM IST
First published on: Jul 18, 2014 at 11:22 AM IST
At present, potatoes are sold for Rs 20-22 per kg and onions for Rs 40-45 per kg. (Source: PTI)In order to keep a leash on the price of potato and onion, the state government announced on Thursday to remove the levy imposed on the two vegetables.
The announcement was made by Arup Roy, minister for agricultural marketing, after a meeting with minister Purnendu Bose and minister for food and supplies Jyotipriya Mullick at Writers Building. The meeting was held to discuss ways to control vegetable prices.
The state government imposes levy of Rs 1 on every quintal of potato and onion. With its withdrawal, the state will incur a loss of Rs 7 crore every year.
At present, potatoes are sold for Rs 20-22 per kg and onions for Rs 40-45 per kg. According to traders, the price of onion will touch Rs 100 per kg soon.
“While for onions the demand every year is 8 lakh tonne, our produce is only 3 lakh. So we have to bring onions from outside. In Bengal, the reason we cannot enhance the yield is because we require 20,000 seeds every year whereas we get only 5,000 seeds. This is absolutely abysmal. We are telling farmers that they should earmark more onion seeds for the following year’s cultivation,’’ Roy said, adding that the state government was taking several measures to enhance the yield of onions in the state.
At present, potatoes are sold for Rs 20-22 per kg and onions for Rs 40-45 per kg. (Source: PTI)
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