Centre decides to import 10 lakh tonnes of potatoes from Bhutan

The Centre has decided to import 10 lakh tonnes of potatoes to stem rising prices. The government will be importing 30,000 tonnes of potato from Bhutan without license.

Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal said that the government is taking active steps to moderate inflating potato prices. The minister informed that import duty on potato has been reduced to 10



percent from 30 per cent earlier. Now, quota of 10 Lakh Metric Tonnes of potato will be imported at 10 percent import duty till January 31st next year.

The Centre has also planned to import 25,000 tonnes of onions before Diwali. This will be in addition to the 7,000 tonnes of onions that NAFED has already procured through private importers.