Kolkata, Jul 9 (IANS): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Tuesday, directed the state administration and the task force constituted by her government to check prices of essential commodities in retail markets, to bring down skyrocketing prices within the next ten days.

On Tuesday afternoon, CM Banerjee chaired a meeting and directed the task force to meet every week to review the situation and give her a report after seven days.

Sources said, at the meeting the CM lambasted a section of big potato traders for the skyrocketing price of this staple vegetable in the retail market.

She said that the big traders were responsible for the price of potatoes reaching Rs 35 a kg in the retail markets, when the farmers were selling them at Rs 15 a kg.

According to her, some big traders were deliberately hoarding their stock of potatoes in cold storages to artificially jack up the prices.

She directed the state administration and the task force members to immediately take action against these hoarders.

She also spoke about a conspiracy theory on the recent rise in the price of mutton in retail markets.

According to her, recently rumours were spread about the outbreak of Bird Flu in the state, which prompted a number of meat eaters to shift to mutton from chicken.

She also directed the task force members to keep a strict vigil on the export of vegetables, especially potatoes and onion to other states and keep a close vigil on West Bengal’s borders.

According to CM Banerjee, such products can only be exported to other states after meeting the requirements of West Bengal.