Under pressure from the state government potato traders today threatened to go on an indefinite strike from Monday if the state government does not withdraw the freeze imposed on potato exports and initiate an immediate meeting to resolve the crisis.
As a result of the strike threat, the prices of potatoes are likely to skyrocket and drill holes in common peoples’ pockets.
Following Miss Banerjee’s diktat to the chief secretary and agriculture marketing minister Becharam Manna to look into the issue of alleged export of potatoes to other states without fulfilling the demands of the people of the state, the state government launched a crackdown on the traders trying to smuggle potatoes out of the state.