Mamata Banerjee on Monday asked potato traders to release immediately 50 per cent of the stock in cold stores in her bid to bring down the price of the produce, which is being sold at a minimum rate of Rs 22 in Calcutta these days.

“You should bring out 50 per cent of the potatoes stored in cold stores immediately. If you do this, we will give a 50 per cent subsidy on cold store rent for December,” the chief minister said at a meeting to monitor the prices of essential commodities at Nabanna on Monday.

Representatives of traders’ bodies were present at the meeting. Sources said the chief minister raised the issue as common people were suffering since the price of the potato was not coming down even though there was enough stock in the cold stores.

The sources have said right now, there are 22 lakh tons of potatoes in the cold stores across the state. By mid-December, the stores will have to be cleared for the fresh produce.

The fresh produce will start arriving in the market within one month or so.

“The state’s monthly consumption requirement is about five-six lakh tons. So, there is no reason that the potato is sold at such a high rate. The chief minister wants to hit the chain that is controlling the supply of potato to the market, which is pushing upthe price,” said a bureaucrat.

Mamata also warned the traders that if they didn’t take measures to bring more potatoes to the market, the government could take stern measures.

“If you don’t release potatoes from the stores, we will take them out and sell them in the market at a cheaper rate through Sufal Bangla stores,” she said.

Senior government officials have said the state has the right to acquire the potato stock in case there is a mismatch in the supply and the total production.

A bureaucrat explained that when potatoes were being stored in the cold stores this year, the price was about Rs12-13 a kg. As there was no shortage of production this year, the maximum retail price could have been Rs 16–Rs 17 a kg.

“But because of the controlled supply to the market throughout the year, the price of the potato has never come down below Rs 24 a kg. Now that the chief minister has decided to handle the situation properly, it is expected that the price will come down soon,” said the bureaucrat.