West Bengal does not have enough cold storages to stock production

Stating that West Bengal does not have enough cold storages to stock up its production, state agriculture marketing minister Arup Roy today said people should invest in setting up new cold storages.

"I request the people to invest in cold storages in the state. I will ask them to set up new cold storages in every possible place," Roy told reporters during an interactive session on 'Efficient Agri-Marketing can empower farmers of West Bengal' organised by the MCC Chamber of Commerce and Industry here.

He added that the state government would provide land for the purpose.

"We do not have enough storage to store what the districts are producing each year. The state will provide land for cold storages and there will not be any problem for that.

"We want experienced people to come forward and assist in setting up more and more cold storages here," Roy said.

"If there is one cold storage along with every Krishi Bazaar, it will enable farmers to store excess crops and vegetables for future use," he said.

Currently, West Bengal could store only 50% of its total agricultural production because the state does not have the required infrastructure to preserve the rest, Roy admitted.

"We are working on it. We have lowered the renewal fee for cold storages as a result of which we have recorded a huge number of renewals in the last couple of years," he said.

The minister rubbished reports that over-production of potatoes in the state led to farmer suicides after allegedly failing to repay loans taken to cultivate the crop.

Roy claimed such deaths were not caused due to farmers being under debt, but over personal reasons.

"I don't think reports of suicide by potato farmers are true. These are cooked up by a section of the media. Reasons behind those deaths are entirely personal," he added.