Bhubaneswar, Oct 8 (IANS): With potato and onion prices in retail markets ruling high after people indulged in panic buying as cyclonic storm 'Hudud' brewed over the Bay of Bengal, the Odisha government Wednesday directed all district collectors to crack the whip on potato hoarders.
Following the direction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who reviewed the cyclone situation here, the food supplies and consumer welfare department (FS&CW) asked the district collectors to ensure enforcement activities in their respective districts to keep the price under control.
"We have asked the district collectors to deploy enforcement squads to inspect business premises of potato traders along with police personnel and take appropriate action against the traders, who have hoarded large quantity of potato to jack up price," said FS&CW Secretary Madhusudan Padhi.
The state government's direction to the collectors is a pre-emptive measure following reports that potato traders are trying to create an artificial scarcity of the tuber.
They resorted to hoarding after panicked people thronged markets to buy essentials before 'Hudud' hits Odisha coast on Oct 12.
Potato price, which was Rs.26 Tuesday, touched Rs.45 Wednesday. Onion is being sold at Rs.30, a 50 percent hike compared to the previous day.
The prices of other vegetables have also skyrocketed.