The commerce ministry yesterday directed the district administrations to ensure sales of potatoes at the government's fixed rate at the cold storages, according to a statement.

It has asked the deputy commissioners to ensure that the popular vegetables will be sold at Tk 26-Tk 27 per kilogramme from today.

The directive comes a day after the ministry, for the first time, decided to allow the import of potatoes in face of spiralling prices in the domestic market.

Yesterday, the root vegetables were sold at as high as Tk 65 per kilogramme in the markets in Dhaka, the highest in history, even though the government agencies estimated 1.04 crore tonnes of production in the last harvesting season, which is higher than the season prior to it.

In its letter to the DCs, the ministry mentioned  traders were selling potatoes at a higher price than the price set by the government.

On September 14, the government fixed the rate of potato at Tk 26-Tk 27 per kg at cold storage and Tk 35-Tk 36 per kg at the retail level.

The ministry said it took the decision to stabilise the potato market in the interest of the public, under The Control of Essential Commodities Act-1956.

However, Anwar Faruque, former agriculture secretary, said it was not the right decision from the government to fix potato prices.

"The government does not fix rates when prices fall. Last year, farmers and traders suffered losses because of falling prices. If so, why will it fix prices now?" he questioned.

Faruque also opposed the decision of selling potatoes from cold storages under supervision of district administration.