April 6, 2022
Aparupa Poddar’s Special Mention under Rule 377 on need for integrated cold storage chain in Arambagh
Sir, West Bengal is a major potato-growing State of India and farmers mainly grow Jyoti, Chandramukhi and
hybrid varieties like Super S1, Super 6 and Pokhraj. Around four lakh Lakh acres of land is under potato cultivation in Bengal and an estimated 10 lakh farmers are engaged in potato farming. Potato production in West Bengal is higher by nearly 16 per cent at 110 lakh tonne out of which 71 lakh tonne of potatoes were kept in cold. storage this year. In Potato farming, cool temperature is of utmost importance for good produce. My constituency of Armabagh has substantial number of potato farmers who store their produce in cold storages for which they have to fork out additional fees, often to private entities. West Bengal has vast growth potential in the horticulture sector and
being one of the leading producers of potato, there is arequirement to shift from cold storages to integrated cold chains to realise its full potential. Modernisation-cumretrofitting of the existing traditional cold storages into multi-purpose cold storages will be the right step. In view of the expected highproduction of potato in West Bengal
in the current year, I request the Government to sanction an integrated cold storage for potatoes in my constituency of Arambagh.
