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With the prices of potatoes, the staple ingredient of any Bengali dish, skyrocketing, export of the vegetable from West Bengal to other states has been barred for the time being, it was announced on Friday. 

The decision was taken at a meeting of the task force constituted by the state government to keep the prices of the essential food items in the retail markets of the state in check.

The ban on exports of potatoes from West Bengal will continue unless the price of the vegetable stabilises in the retail markets.

The decision comes just a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed strong reservations about the export of potatoes and onions from West Bengal to other states without meeting the internal requirements within the state.

Stating that her government will act tough on the issue, she said when the state government is providing funds for insurance for the farmers she could not accept the export of such food items before meeting the internal demands in West Bengal.

On Monday, the members of the task force visited different retail markets in West Bengal and one of them expressed anguish over the differential prices of potatoes and onions in different markets.

In the case of potatoes, which are amply produced, the price range varied between Rs 32 and Rs 40 a kg, much higher than the normal prices, at different markets.

The price fluctuations in the case of onions were even more complicated. While the onions grown in West Bengal were priced at around Rs 55 a kg, the price for onions imported from Maharashtra's Nashik was Rs 70 a kg.

During the market visits on Friday morning, the members of the task forces also cautioned the retailers that police action might be initiated against those who will be found responsible for artificially jacking up the price of staple foods.