Surplus potato stocks from last season and expectations of higher production in Punjab, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha are affecting market conditions for growers in India. Potato farmers in the Doaba region report pressure on prices as harvesting of early varieties begins.
Harvesting of early varieties, mainly Kufri Pukhraj, is underway, with farm gate prices reported at Rs 6 to Rs 7 per kilogram. According to growers, weather conditions have so far remained favourable, with no fog, smog, rain, or frost reported. Jang Bahadur Sangha, a potato grower in the region, said, "The only good thing happening so far is that the weather is going well. There has been no fog, smog, rain, or frost so far. If it remains clear for the next 15 days too, there shall be no blight attack, and we can expect a bumper crop."
Despite stable field conditions, growers remain cautious about market prospects. Sangha noted that unsold stocks from last year remain in storage in several locations and that potato acreage has increased across multiple states. "We had a very good crop last year. That stock has not cleared at many places. The cropping of potatoes has increased so much across other states, too. In these circumstances, we cannot expect a good price for our crop as the demand-supply ratio suits the consumer (and also the politicians) but not the growers," he said.
Jaswinder Sangha of the Jalandhar Potato Growers Association said early 60-day varieties are currently selling at levels that cover production costs but offer little margin. "For the early 60-day variety, we are getting just Rs 6–7 per kg, which means that we are just at par with the expenses incurred so far. We shall just be able to recover the costs. We may not get any profit margins this time," he said. He added that last year's unsold stocks have slowed the market for fresh potatoes and that growers are now watching weather conditions ahead of harvesting Kufri Chandramukhi, Kufri Jyoti, and Diamond varieties.
Growers in Jalandhar are also using tissue culture and aeroponic techniques to multiply seed sourced from the Central Potato Research Institute in Kufri. According to Jaswinder Sangha, private and government laboratories, including facilities linked to Thapar University, are supporting this process.
Seed producer Gurraj S Nijjar from Jalandhar reported lower seed prices and logistical issues. He said new seed is selling at around Rs 300 to Rs 400 per 50 kg bag, equivalent to approximately US$3.60 to US$4.80, and added that labour shortages and weather-related delays disrupted seed shipments to West Bengal, resulting in losses.
Source: The Tribune
