The Jalpaiguri district administration will open two fair-price shops to sell potatoes at Dinbazar and Station Bazar here on Tuesday.

“People can buy potatoes at ₹28 per kilo from two fair-price shops from tomorrow,” said Shama Parvin, the district magistrate ofJalpaiguri.

On Monday, Parvin held a meeting with representatives of potato sellers and the Jalpaiguri District Cold Storage Owners’ Association, and officials of the state agricultural marketing department. Khandbahale Umesh Ganpath, the superintendent of police, was also present.

Parvin and Ganpath told the potato traders that transportation of the produce from the district to other places would not be allowed. “Anybody flouting the instruction will face action,” said the SP.

Sources said in Jalpaiguri, “Jyoti,” a type of potato, was being sold at ₹35 per kilo and the administration could not bring down the price even after conducting raids on the markets.

“That is why the decision to open the fair-price shops has been made. The shops will remain open from 8am to 12 noon. In due course, three more such shops will be opened in other locations of the district,” said Tushar Mondal, the secretary of the Jalpaiguri Progressive Potato Owners’ Association.

Kishor Marodia, the coordinator of the cold storage owners of Jalpaiguri, said the district has 24 cold storages where potatoes are stocked.

“There is adequate stock of potatoes and so, there will be no crisis in meeting the demand,” he said.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had recently come down heavily on administrative and police officials for the rise in the prices of essential commodities.