By: Hindustan Times, July 24, 2017
The growers are not getting any incentives for potatoes. Prices have crashed to ₹2 and 2.5 per kg, even though ₹3 is the cost of the storage. YUGRAJ SINGH, farmer
KAPURTHALA: Already facing the heat from the losses incurred during the last season, farmers in the Doaba region are selling potato at lower prices, as a result of which cold stores in the region are almost full.
By July, usually around 30% to 35% of the crop stored in cold stores is sold out.
However, this time, growers have managed to sell only 10% of the crop, that too at a lower rate.
The state has 5% share in the country’s annual potato output, which is mainly grown in Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar districts of the Doaba region.
However, the surplus production of this year and low demand from other states has resulted in cold storage woes in the state.
Jagat Prakash Singh Gill, a member of the Potato Growers Association, said there are no buyers, despite the bumper crop this year.
“Potatoes are sent to states like Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. But the supply is less this year as traders prefer to store it instead of selling on cheap rates.”
Growers said in a few months, the new crop will arrive, with it the state will again face a glut-like situation, if the existing stock is not cleared.
Yugraj Singh, a Jalandharased farmer, said, “The growers are not even getting any incentives. Prices have crashed to ₹2 to 2.5 per kg even though ₹3 is the cost of the storage. The cold stores have 90% of the crop. Iit will create trouble for farmers inNovember.”
He said, “Potatoes are being sold at ₹100 to ₹150 per quintal against ₹1,300 to ₹1,500 last year. Traders from various states have stopped coming after demonetisation.
Growers said the dismal state is due demonetisation and the ban on the import of potatoes imposed by the Pakistan government on November 2016.
Last year, farmers dumped their crop on the roads to protest against the low price rate and shortage of cold store in the state.
The story has not been edited by Apni Kheti staff and has been published from different feeds.
