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Wholesale costs are presently ruling far beneath the manufacturing price and merchants anticipate costs to stay low this 12 months as a consequence of excessive manufacturing.
Sowing of potatoes often begins in November, whereas the crop is harvested the next January. Uttar Pradesh, the most important producer of the tuber, has witnessed a 15% improve in manufacturing within the newest crop season in contrast with a 12 months earlier, when the state had produced 15.5 million tonnes of potatoes.
“Hybrid high quality of potato is fetching a worth of Rs 3.00-Rs 3.50 per kg on the wholesale, whereas the very best Agra high quality is fetching Rs 5 per kg. That is half of final 12 months’s costs,” mentioned Arvind Agarwal, nationwide coordinator of the Federation of Chilly Storage Affiliation of India.
On the retail stage, the widespread number of potatoes is priced Rs 12-15 a kg, whereas the higher selection is fetching Rs 18-Rs 19, once more half in contrast with this time final 12 months.
“Resulting from falling costs, farmers are gazing an enormous loss this 12 months. And costs are unlikely to go up from this stage this 12 months,” Agarwal mentioned.
The climate has been conducive this season which has resulted in a bumper crop. “Additionally, farmers have used a high-yielding number of seeds, which has additional elevated productiveness,” he added.Exports of potatoes are occurring however solely to 2 areas – Gulf international locations and Sri Lanka. Indian potatoes are usually not appropriate for Southeast Asian international locations.
In West Bengal, the second largest producer of the tuber, manufacturing is estimated to be 11.5 million tonnes this 12 months, in contrast with 8.5 million tonnes final 12 months. In Bengal, merchants had been holding again the crop, as costs had been zooming excessive they usually anticipated the pattern to proceed for some extra time. However costs tumbled after Diwali and there have been enormous shares in chilly storages. A few of the shares from the chilly storages are being offloaded even now, whilst the brand new crop has arrived.
Patit Paban De, a member of the West Bengal Chilly Storage Affiliation, mentioned the costs would stay muted this 12 months.
Potato merchants in UP and Bengal are ready for a transportation subsidy from the federal government for interstate cargo of potatoes.
