Bhubaneswar, Aug 11: In a bid to stem the tuber crisis in Odisha, the State government has started selling potatoes at Rs 100 for 3 kg in retail shops across the state under the public distribution system (PDS).

Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Sunday said potatoes have been sent to different places in the State through NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd).

The government retail shops have started selling the kitchen essential at a price of Rs 100 per 3 kg, Patra said.

Anyone can visit the PDS store and buy 3 kg of potato at a price of Rs 100, he added.

The State government purchased potatoes from Uttar Pradesh through the NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd) and supplied those to consumers in PDS stores.

However, potato prices in retail markets continued to remain high and were selling at Rs 55-60 per kg.

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.

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