Consume more potatoes, gain more energies: WBCSA

Kolkata, Aug 26 (UNI) Minister of State for Disaster Management and Agricultural Marketing Mortaza Hossain today said the time has come to dispel the misconceptions attached with consumption of potatoes from the people's mind, in line with United Nation's declaration of the current year as the International Year of the potato.

Mr Mortaza told newspersons that West Bengal was the second largest potato producing state in the country next to Uttar Pradesh, adding the statel government had targetted bumper output in the next fiscal.

''Potato is low in calory, fat-free and one of the most important cash crops of the state, apart from being a source of cheap and nutrient-rich product,'' Mr Hossain said.

The West Bengal Cold Storage Association(WBCSA) had launched a statewide awareness campaign in a bid to popularise the consumption of potatoes.

''The campaign stems from the need to increase the per capita consumption of potatoes to counter the falling demand for spuds produced in the state,'' the Minister of State said.

UNI AKM SB MIR NS1836