Why is Odisha Facing a Potato Crisis?

Odisha: For the past four weeks, Odisha has been grappling with a severe potato shortage, leading to a drastic price hike of the essential commodity to a whopping Rs 55-60/kg. The crisis has troubled the citizens and expressed their frustration with West Bengal, the primary supplier of the commodity.

Recently, various social organizations blocked vehicles carrying essential food items to West Bengal at Choudwar in Cuttack on Friday as a form of protest. The situation has become increasingly tense, as there is an urgent need to find a solution to address the potato shortage and stabilize prices.

Odisha's dependence on West Bengal for potatoes has worsened the current shortage. Since mid-July, the West Bengal government has debarred potato exports to other states to control prices within the state. This move aims to stabilise the retail prices in West Bengal at Rs 25-28/kg.

However, the ban has reversely affected Odisha, which heavily depends on West Bengal for its potato supply. According to Dilip Pratihar, former secretary of the West Bengal Potato Merchants' Association, Bengal's potato production has decreased by 20% this year compared to the previous year. Unseasonal rains in December-January, during the potato sowing season, have contributed to this decline.

West Bengal Dominates Potato Production in India

West Bengal is the second-largest potato-producing state in India, accounting for 23.51% of the country's total production in 2021-22, according to the Government of India's Agri Exchange trading platform. Only Uttar Pradesh surpasses West Bengal, producing 29.65% of the country's potatoes. The key potato-producing districts in West Bengal are Medinipur, Hooghly, Bankura, and Bardhaman in north Bengal.

In contrast, Odisha's potato production is significantly lower, despite being a staple in the state. The annual demand for potatoes in Odisha stands at over 13 lakh metric tons (mt), but the state's own production is limited to around 3 lakh mt, primarily cultivated in small pockets in Kandhamal, Koraput, and Kalahandi regions. As a result, Odisha relies heavily on other states to meet 90% of its potato demand.

This is not the first instance of Odisha facing a potato supply shortage. In response to a similar crisis in 2015, the state government launched a mission to transform Odisha into a potato-surplus state. The initiative aimed to boost potato production through a system of incentives and enhance the state's storage and distribution infrastructure. However, despite these efforts, Odisha continues to struggle with meeting its potato demands, highlighting the need for sustained and effective solutions to address this recurring issue.

Odisha's Pleas for Potato Supplies Fall on Deaf Ears

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and his predecessor, Naveen Patnaik, have made urgent appeals to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resume potato supplies to the state. However, their requests have been met with silence, leaving Odisha to grapple with the ongoing potato shortage. Despite the repeated pleas, West Bengal remains unwilling to lift the export ban, exacerbating the crisis in Odisha.