The state government will pay a support price of Rs 27 crore to buy 1 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes from the farmers to increase the purchase price for them.

The decision was taken by chief minister Mamata Banerjee after a meeting with the members of the task force on price rise on Monday.

Rabindranath Koley of the traders' forum, also a task force member, said that the chief minister has also given her assent to the export of state potatoes.

Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka have shown interest in buying potatoes from Bengal. For this, rakes will be arranged," Koley said.

Last year, with prices rising, traders were prohibited from exporting until the state's own demand had been met. The government also compulsorily removed potatoes from storage to prevent the artificial manipulation of prices.

Officials said that on an average about 1 crore metric tonnes of potatoes are being produced in the state each year and the requirement is about 60 lakh metric tonnes.