Kolkata, Feb 17 : The West Bengal government has directed all the cold storage owners in the state to reserve 30 per cent of the space at their respective facilities for the marginal farmers.

This has been done to give relief to the marginal farmers who suffer seasonal tension regarding the storage of their farm products, mainly potatoes,

An instruction on this count has reached all the district magistrates in the state so that the decision of the state government is passed on to cold storage owners in their respective districts.

The district magistrates have also been advised to personally supervise and ensure that the state government's order on this count is followed true to its spirit. As per the decision, the marginal farmers will be able to store a maximum quantity of 30 quintals of potato, which approximately, will count to 70 sacks.

'The cold storage owners will have to keep 30 per cent of the space at their facilities for the marginal farmers up to a certain period in every season. If the reserve spaces remain unoccupied after that specified period then only the owners can rent out that place to others. However, if the cold storage owners are unable to rent out that vacant space after the expiry of that specified period, they will not be provided any compensation for that from the state government. The state government had to take this decision for the sake of the interest of the marginal farmers,' an official from the state secretariat, Nabanna said.

The marginal farmers willing to avail of that reserved storage facility will have to apply with supporting documents like Kisan Credit Cards and papers related to their crop insurance. Space will be allotted on a "first come, first serve" basis.

The state government official said the decision on this count was taken following complaints that often marginal farmers willing to avail of the cold storage facilities are unable to avail of it since the spaces of the cold storage have already been reserved by the large farmers.

Welcoming the decision on the part of the state government, an office-bearer from the West Bengal Progressive Potato Traders' Association said the state government, at the same time, should also consider purchasing 30 per cent of the total potato produced directly from the farmers.

'This will help the farmers, especially the marginal farmers and will also be instrumental in keeping the price of the product stable in the retail markets,' he said.

/IANS