West-Bengal eases potato export ban

Bending over backwards following pressure from other states and agitations by traders' associations there, the West Bengal government Monday relaxed its ban on export of potatoes, albeit with a rider, saying it would help in further stabilisation of prices in the state.

"We are not lifting the ban. But traders who want to send potatoes to other can do by taking permission of the state government,"chief secretary Sanjay Mitra said after a meeting of the task force that monitors retail market of fish and vegetables, at Nabanna. The meeting was presided over by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Officials in the department of agricultural marketing, however, made it clear that it was just a mere formality and people desirous of sending potato consignments out of the state can easily do it.