The West Bengal Cold Storage Association Reports Loss and Requests Urgent Policy Assistance

News Desk, News Nation 360 : The 61st Annual General Meeting of the West Bengal Cold Storage Association (WBCSA), the state's sole active association for cold storage units, was held in Kolkata. The meeting was opened by Becharam Manna, Hon. MIC Department of Agricultural Marketing, Govt. of WB; Pradip Kumar Mazumdar, Hon. MIC Department of Panchayat & Rural Development, Govt. of WB; Sunil Kumar Rana, President of WBCSA; Subhajit Saha, Vice President of WBCSA; Rajesh Kumar Bansal, Former President of WBCSA; Sohanlal Sethia, Patit Paban De, Tarun Kanti Ghosh, and Gobind Kajaria, Past Presidents of WBCSA; Dilip Chatterjee, Kaushik Kundu, Pradip Lodha, Manik Chand Baid, Chairman of WBCSA District Committees; and numerous other distinguished individuals attended. On this occasion, Sunil Kumar Rana, President of West Bengal Cold Storage Association, stated that for more than 60 years, their association has proudly supported West Bengal's farming community. As the 20th President, he was adamant that the cold storage sector must keep making a significant contribution to the rural economy. West Bengal is expected to generate close to 140 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes this season. Under the potato procurement policy, the government promised MSP at ₹900 per quintal in season 2025, but average market prices dropped to about ₹600 per quintal. This resulted in a projected loss of approximately ₹2,200 crore on the saved stock of 72 lakh MT. Both farmers and cold storage companies will continue to experience extreme financial strain in the absence of immediate policy support for interstate marketing and price stabilisation. To resolve this crisis, the association has put forth a number of critical suggestions, which include the provision of a subsidy for the transport of potatoes from one state to another, as well as the organisation of buyer-seller meets with the neighbouring states. The association has also suggested that the inclusion of potatoes in the mid-day meal programs, as well as the Public Distribution System (PDS), will go a long way in resolving this crisis. Moreover, the association has also requested that the rent for the cold storage be revised, as the rates have remained stagnant for years, while the cost of electricity, labour, and maintenance has increased manifold. Other suggestions that the association has put forth include the promotion of export-oriented cultivation, as well as the extension of the validity of the cold storage licenses for a period of five years, which will be a major step in the ease of doing business. The meeting has thus underlined the need for constructive dialogue between the stakeholders of the industry and the state government, which will go a long way in the sustainability of the state's agricultural industry.

Pic - Courtesy