61st Annual Geeral Meeting organized by President & Members of the Executive Committee of West Bengal Cold Storage Association held at at Taj Taal Kutir, Kolkata

The West Bengal Cold Storage Association (WBCSA), the only active association representing cold storage units in the state, held its 61st Annual General Meeting today at Taj Taal Kutir, Kolkata. The meeting was inaugurated by the Chief Guests Sri. Becharam Manna, Hon’ble MIC Department of Agricultural Marketing Govt of WB; Sri. Pradip Kumar Mazumdar, Hon’ble MIC Department of Panchayat & Rural Development, Govt of WB and was attended by: Sri. Sunil Kumar Rana, President of WBCSA; Sri. Subhajit Saha, Vice President of WBCSA; Sri. Rajesh Kumar Bansal, Ex-President of WBCSA; Sri. Sohanlal Sethia, Sri. Patit Paban De, Sri. Tarun Kanti Ghosh, Sri. Gobind Kajaria, Past Presidents of WBCSA; Sri. Dilip Chatterjee, Sri. Kaushik Kundu, Sri. Pradip Lodha, Sri. Manik Chand Baid, Sri. Jagmohan Sarda, Chairman of District Committees of WBCSA & many other eminent personalities.

On this occasion, Sri. Sunil Kumar Rana, President of West Bengal Cold Storage Association highlighted, “Our Association has proudly served the agricultural community of West Bengal for over six decades. As the 20th President, I firmly believe that the cold storage industry must continue to contribute meaningfully to the rural economy. This season, West Bengal is likely to produce nearly 140 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes. In season 2025 the Govt offered MSP @ ₹900 per quintal under potato procurement scheme whereas average market prices fell to around ₹600 per quintal, thereby causing an estimated loss of over ₹2,200 crore on the preserved stock of 72 lakh MT. Without urgent policy support for inter-state marketing and price stabilization both farmers and cold storage operators will continue to face severe financial stress.”

Speaking to the media, Sri. Subhajit Saha, Vice President of West Bengal Cold Storage Association, said, “Cold storage operations have become increasingly cost-intensive due to rising power tariffs, higher labour and maintenance costs, expensive capital, and stringent compliance requirements. A rational revision of rental charges and extension of license validity to five years will significantly improve ease of doing business while ensuring uninterrupted support to farmers. With nearly 72 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes stored in cold storages and market prices averaging just ₹600 per quintal against an MSP of ₹900, the sector has suffered losses running into over ₹2,200 crore in 2025. Targeted policy support and smoother inter-state movement are essential to prevent further stress on farmers and storage operators.”

The Association proposed several key measures, including:

Transport subsidies for inter-state movement of potatoes
Buyer–seller meets with neighboring states
Inclusion of potatoes in mid-day meals and PDS
Export-oriented cultivation and overseas market access
Revision of cold storage rental charges in line with rising input costs

The Association also appealed for simplified legal procedures for disposal of undelivered stock, revision of outdated regulatory frameworks, and extension of cold storage license validity to five years to improve ease of doing business. Reiterating its commitment to collaboration, the Association expressed confidence that constructive dialogue between the government and industry stakeholders would lead to sustainable solutions for farmers, traders, and cold storage operators alike.