The commerce ministry today 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 (DCs) to make ensure that the popular vegetable will be sold at Tk 26-Tk 27 per kilogram from tomorrow.

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

Today, the root vegetable was sold at as much as Tk 65 per kilogram in the markets in Dhaka, the highest in history, although the government agencies estimated 1.04 crore tonnes of production, higher than a year ago.

In its letter to the DCs, the commerce ministry mentioned that 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. But potatoes are not being sold at the government-set rates.

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