Puri: The state government had launched potato mission to raise tuber production in Odisha. However, lack of incentives and proper storage facility has been discouraging farmers to cultivate potato.
Causing despair among farmers, at least 1,000 quintals of potato have sprouted at a cold storage in the district here. The incident has invited sharp reactions from several farmers’ outfits in the district, sources said.
A majority of farmers in Puri district usually cultivate paddy. However, some farmers often cultivate potato for consumption and sale purposes. However, the district has only one cold storage at Satasankha to cater to the needs of potato growers in 11 blocks in Puri.
According to sources, some farmers from Pipli, Satyabadi, Kanas, Delang and Nimapara area of the district had kept around 1,000 quintals of potato at the Satasankha cold storage. The potatoes sprouted at the cold storage owing to poor infrastructure, sources said.
“I had stored around 40 packets of potatoes at Satasankha cold storage. The potatoes sprouted at the cold storage due to poor infrastructure. No one will purchase the sprouted tuber. We will incur a huge loss,” said Bibhuti Bhusan Parida, a farmer from Pipli.
BJP farmers’ wing state secretary Suratha Biswal targeted the state government on the issue. “The potato mission of the state government is an eyewash. The state government is yet make cold storage facility for potato farmers,” Biswal said.
BJP farmers’ wing Puri district president Ajay Pradhan too criticised the Agriculture department of the state government for its failure to provide proper cold storage facility to potato farmers.