Bengal plans to export surplus potatoes to Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand

To get rid of surplus potato production in the state, the West Bengal government is getting its act in place to explore possibilities of exporting table potatoes to Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand which are deficient in meeting their internal demands through domestic production.

In doing so, it is contemplating a slew of measures including creating awareness among state farmers about commercial cultivation of those varieties of potatoes which have demand overseas, fixation of standards for export-oriented potatoes and above all, providing logistics support to exports.

This was indicated by state chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb while addressing reporters on Monday on the eve of the India International Potato Expo -2008, which will be held in Kolkata from January 9-12. The expo is being organised by the state to observe 2008 as the ‘International Year of Potato’, marked by FAO