Cold storage owners hike rates overnight: Agriculture minister says on potato prices
“There was a slight decrease in potato production this year. We have also exported some potatoes. However, potatoes shouldn't be so expensive. The syndicate is to blame for this. Owners of cold storage facilities hike their rates overnight. We are actively working to control the syndicate,” Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said
Agriculture Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque said on Wednesday that the government is trying to tackle syndicate-related issues to curb the prices of potatoes.
He said this while speaking at the inauguration of an agricultural fair in Tangail's Madhupur Upazila on Wednesday morning.
"There was a slight decrease in potato production this year. We have also exported some potatoes. However, potatoes shouldn't be so expensive. The syndicate is to blame for this. Owners of cold storage facilities hike their rates overnight. We are actively working to control the syndicate," he said.
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Responding to the 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the minister said, "Even with a 48-day ultimatum, the BNP will not succeed. With elections approaching in three months, their movements will not impact the democratic process,"
Razzaque, also a presidium member of the ruling party, also addressed the US visa restriction issue and said, "The USA may have imposed the visa policy for any number of political reasons. I'm not sure what caused it. According to our constitution, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lead during the election period, ensuring fair and acceptable elections in January. We don't care about anyone's visa policy. No one will be able to disrupt the elections with visa policy."
