Potato prices likely to gain on lower Bengal crop

Potato selling prices are very likely to rule increased this calendar year as opposed with very last 12 months on an expected drop in generation in West Bengal, the 2nd-premier producer of the spud in the nation.

The tuber’s manufacturing is probable to be decreased by around 20 for every cent at near to 8.5-9 million tonnes (mt) this year thanks to delayed sowing on the back of premature rains. Final calendar year, the Condition harvested a bumper crop, nearly a 16 per cent increase in manufacturing at 11 mt lcompared with 9.5 mt lin 2020.

Psychological impression

According to Tushar Kanti Ghosh, President of West Bengal Chilly Storage Affiliation, the wholesale cost of early selection potatoes (Pokraj) has surged by 140 for every cent to ₹1,200 a quintal at present from ₹500-550 a quintal same time past calendar year.

The impression of the crop in Bengal will probably mirror in potato rates throughout the state, explained Ashish Guru, Senior Vice-President, Federation of Cold Storage Associations of India. “There will be at the very least some psychological impact of the improvement,” he stated.

At the Agra agricultural make internet marketing committee lawn, 1 of the greatest marketplaces for the spud, selling prices ended up ₹780-800 a quintal, up ₹200 around the similar period of time a calendar year in the past. As of February 23, arrivals in Uttar Pradesh are pegged at 59,396 tonnes from January 1 compared with 77,421 tonnes through the calendar year-ago period.

In Bengal, the loading price tag of potatoes in chilly storage has enhanced by 60 for every cent to ₹15-16 a kg this calendar year in opposition to ₹8-10 a kg in the yr-ago interval. This would typically necessarily mean that the tuber could fetch any where involving ₹25 and ₹26 a kg in the wholesale market when the shares are produced from the cold storage all through April-May. Potatoes freshly cultivated from the farm are normally eaten for the 1st 3-4 months of a 12 months, article which the saved potatoes commence producing their way into the market.

“We knowledgeable untimely rains during the sowing period of time which led to rotting of some crop. Even though re-cultivation was finished on some parcels of land, nonetheless, it could not show to be superior more than enough to offset the crop that we lost. So, we assume a decrease manufacturing this calendar year,” Ghosh instructed BusinessLine right after the annual common meeting of the affiliation on Wednesday.

Bengal witnessed untimely rains in November and early December that affected the sowing of the crop. Just about 55-60 for every cent of sowing was entire (when Cyclone Jawad hit) in the vital expanding areas of Hooghly, Midnapore, Bankura and Burdwan. The untimely rains, which had remaining the fields inundated, are not only most likely to effects production but also the high-quality of new crop.

The early selection tuber, which normally begins arriving by the close of December early January, commenced coming into the industry only by conclude of January.

Cultivation of potatoes in Bengal is unfold over close to 4.6 lakh hectares of land. Hooghly, Burdwan, Bankura, East Midnapore and West Midnapore are important rising districts.

Guru mentioned the crop scarcity in Bengal would weigh on the supply chain in view of the importance of the japanese Condition in production. A remaining picture on the crop would be offered just after output is assessed later on this week by associations across the state, he said.

Loading to be reduce

Chilly storages are possible to be loaded only up to 80 for every cent of their potential this calendar year due to the decrease crop towards around 95-97 per cent last calendar year. There are around 400 chilly storages in Bengal and the total storage potential is believed to be shut to seven mt.

In accordance to Patit Paban De, member, West Bengal Cold Storage Affiliation, generation in some of the other vital escalating areas, such as Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, is excellent this yr and prices are also comparatively reduced than Bengal A very good amount of potatoes from some of these markets has been building inroads into the Bengal marketplace. This may have a “suppressing” effect on selling prices.

“The value at which potatoes have started off loading into chilly storages is quite large this calendar year. Now no matter whether it goes better or proceeds to continue to be at these ranges is a thing that we can recognize only when a clearer photograph of actual crop emerges. Even so, we anticipate costs to stay organization as of now,” he said.

With inputs from Subramani Ra Mancombu

Published on


February 23, 2022