West Bengal Cold Storage Association organises 57th AGM

This Annual General meeting was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Dr. Pradip Kumar Mazumdar, Chief Advisor, Agriculture to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Atamika Bharati, Director of Agricultural Marketing Govt. of WB, Tarun Kanti Ghosh, President of West Bengal Cold Storage Association, Rajesh Kumar Bansal, Vice President of West Bengal Cold Storage Association, Patit Paban De, Past President of WBCSA, Biplab Mitra, the MIC Department of Agricultural Marketing Govt. Of WB (attended virtually through video conference).

On this occasion, Tarun Kanti Ghosh, President of West Bengal Cold Storage Association highlighted, "The area under cultivation of potato is on the rise and the cold storage units will continue to play pivotal role in marketing the produce, but distorted information about estimated balance stock of potato in cold storages in the end of the season resulting in distress sale had been a matter of concern for potato season 2021.

"He requested the authorities to consider balanced cultivation of potato to maintain a check on production, consumption and preservation. He estimated production of around 85-90 lakh ton potato in the current season; domestic consumption in West Bengal being 65 lakh ton the balance stock needed to be marketed outside the state."

"To ensure balanced market conditions he requested the authorities to maintain release of the stored stock at an uniform rate of 12% in each month during the unloading period. He recommended collection and analysis of pan India comprehensive data on cultivation, harvesting, storage & marketing for formulation of necessary action plan and monitoring the stock situation on a real time basis," he added.