Banaskantha farmers throw away potatoes on roads

Potato-growing farmers, merchants and cold storage owners in Deesa in Banaskantha have started disposing of potatoes on the road after having received no official word from the state government. Potato oversupply in the market has caused huge loss to these stakeholders.

The traders are disappointed with the state government's stand on the issue. They claim they have no other choice but to dispose of their agricultural produce on the road.

However, Deesa MLA and minister of state for labour and employment, Liladhar Vaghela, has said that if the potatoes are dumped on road, it would be considered an offence of littering in public place. He also said that Deesa municipality will take action against those responsible for indulging in such act.

The government had constituted a high-level committee of four senior ministers _ finance minister Vajubhai Vala, agriculture minister Dilip Sanghani, Banaskantha in-charge minister Nitin Patel and Narottam Patel _ to look into the matter. However, apart from one formal meeting of the committee, nothing substantial has come out yet.