Potato farmers are gazing an enormous loss as costs have crashed to half from a 12 months earlier, amid a glut in manufacturing within the main producing states of Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab.

Wholesale costs are presently ruling far beneath the manufacturing value and merchants count on costs to stay low this 12 months as a consequence of excessive manufacturing.

Sowing of potatoes normally begins in November, whereas the crop is harvested the next January. Uttar Pradesh, the most important producer of the tuber, has witnessed a 15% enhance 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 value of Rs 3.00-Rs 3.50 per kg on the wholesale, whereas one of the best Agra high quality is fetching Rs 5 per kg. That is half of final 12 months’s costs,” stated Arvind Agarwal, nationwide coordinator of the Federation of Chilly Storage Affiliation of India.

On the retail degree, the frequent 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.

“Because of falling costs, farmers are gazing an enormous loss this 12 months. And costs are unlikely to go up from this degree this 12 months,” Agarwal stated.

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 taking place however solely to 2 areas – Gulf international locations and Sri Lanka. Indian potatoes should 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 have been holding again the crop, as costs have been zooming excessive and so they anticipated the development to proceed for some extra time. However costs tumbled after Diwali and there have been big shares in chilly storages. Among the shares from the chilly storages are being offloaded even now, at the same time as the brand new crop has arrived.

Patit Paban De, a member of the West Bengal Chilly Storage Affiliation, stated 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.