India's West Bengal government has stopped online slot bookings for trucks carrying potatoes and onions through the Hili land port.

Since Monday (November 25) morning, no trucks carrying potatoes and onions have been allowed to enter the port. 

However, one potato-laden truck entered this morning (Nov 26) due to a prior slot booking.

According to sources, around 50-60 trucks carrying potatoes and onions have been stranded inside India since Sunday.

Pappu Agarwal, an exporter from India’s Hili, said the West Bengal government stopped online slot bookings for trucks carrying potatoes and onions from Sunday morning to halt exports to Bangladesh.

He added that meetings are being arranged with the district administrators of Malda and Balurghat to resolve the issue. Only the trucks with prior bookings were allowed to enter Bangladesh on Sunday, he said.

Agarwal warned that halting potato and onion exports at this stage would cause financial losses to traders in both countries.

Shahidul Islam, vice president of the Hili Land Port Import-Export Group, said the sudden decision by the West Bengal government was inappropriate. “We have already opened many LCs. We should be allowed to import potatoes and onions, or else we will face financial losses,” he said.

Reports suggest that potatoes and onions were being exported to other Indian states and Bangladesh without notifying the Chief Minister’s office.

This reportedly caused a rapid price hike of potatoes and onions in West Bengal. Expressing anger, the Chief Minister raised the issue during a press conference at Nabanna on Thursday (November 21).

Following this, a task force committee met on Friday at Nabanna, chaired by the Chief Secretary. The meeting decided to suspend exports to other states and Bangladesh until further instructions from the Chief Minister.

BDST: 1729 HRS, NOV 26, 2024
MSK/SMS