The lockdown has left potato traders in north Bengal in a fix as the migrant workers who handle loading and unloading during the transport of the produce from cold storages to wholesale markets may not be able to return in time.

Every year, around 5,000 workers reach Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar in the first week of March from North and South 24-Parganas, immediately after potatoes are harvested.

“They stay here to pack the potatoes and to load and unload the crop at the cold storages. Many of them have been doing this work for 20-25 years and they are the only ones who have the requisite skills,” said Omprakash Kharia, the vice-president of the north Bengal unit of the West Bengal Cold Storage Association.

After the potatoes are unloaded at the cold storages, these migrant workers leave for their homes in the first week of April. They return in the first week of May and stay in north Bengal till November, during which the potatoes are brought out of the cold storages and taken to the markets.

“This year, they had come here as usual in March and carried out their work. Although the lockdown began in end-March, the potatoes were somehow packed and stored. However, they got stranded because of the lockdown and could not return home on time,” a potato trader in Jalpaiguri said.

Following demands, the Bengal government last week allowed intra-state movement of migrant workers wanting to return home, but on the condition that they undergo mandatory 14 days’ home quarantine once they reach.

“Arrangements have been made to send these workers home. They have been screened and government buses are taking them to their native places. All of them will be sent in phases,” said Abhishek Kumar Tiwary, the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri.

With the workers returning to their homes almost a fortnight behind schedule, the cold storage owners and potato traders fear they may not be able to come back on time.

“We don’t know whether the lockdown will be lifted after May 3 and whether public transport will be available after that. If not, they would have no way of returning to work. Also, there are some workers who are in two minds over returning here because of the inconvenience they have faced in the past two-three weeks during the lockdown,” said the owner of a cold storage.

The migrant workers are desperate to return home as they have to hand over their earnings to their families, who too have been suffering because of the lockdown. Moreover, many of these workers augment their meagre income by taking part in other agricultural activities during the period that they are at home.

The potato traders are also concerned about a possible shortage in the market because the crop available in the fields can cater to north Bengal for another fortnight or so.

“After that, we have to start the process of getting potatoes out of the cold storages. If these workers are not available then, there will be a shortage of potatoes in the market. We hope the administration will help us bring back the workers,” a trader said.