Kolkata: Bengal govt will provide a subsidy of Rs 100 per quintal to facilitate potato movement outside the state through railway rakes, aiming to ease pressure on growers and traders holding surplus stocks.A notification issued by the agriculture marketing department said the subsidy would cover transportation of up to 3 lakh tonnes till Nov 30. “The state continues to have surplus potato stocks compared with domestic demand. Farmers who had stored their produce in anticipation of better prices are currently facing difficulties as wholesale prices remain subdued,” an official said.Around 47,580 metric tonnes of potatoes are currently in cold storage. The subsidy will cover 12 potato-growing districts — Hooghly, East Burdwan, Birbhum, West Midnapore, Bankura, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Murshidabad, Howrah, Jhargram and North Dinajpur.However, traders sought similar assistance for road transport. “If the govt would have provided subsidy in movement through road transport, it would have been of immense benefit,” said Manik Santra of Paschimbanga Pragatishil Alu Byabsayee Samiti.
