Govt to ensure sale of potatoes at fixed price

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has said the government will ensure sale of potatoes in the market at a fixed price.

"The concerned agencies of the government including the National Consumer Rights Protection Department under the Ministry of Commerce are on the move in this regard", the minister said at a meeting with officials of Cold Storage Association, Potato Wholesalers, Department of Agricultural Marketing, Department of Agricultural Extension and other government agencies and departments at the Bangladesh Secretariat today (October 18).

The minister said the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) under the Ministry of Commerce will start selling potatoes through truck sales for the purpose of supplying potatoes to the buyers at affordable prices. TCB will sell potatoes at 25 taka per kg to meet the demand of consumers.

The commerce minister said there is no shortage of potatoes in the country. Lots of potatoes have been planted in the field. Demand for potatoes has increased due to some damage to vegetable cultivation in floods and rains. However, there is no reason for the price of potatoes to be higher than the price fixed by the government, he said .

It may be mentioned that the government's Department of Agricultural Extension has already fixed the price of potato at 23 taka per kg at the cold storage level 25 taka at the wholesale level and 30 taka at the retail level, he said .

Commerce Secretary. Md. Zafar Uddin was present at the meeting conducted by the Director General of the Department of Agricultural Marketing Mohammad Yusuf, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce (Exports).

ask/nm