Farmers in Assam, India, are raising concerns about potato pricing following protests in Sadiya, where growers have demonstrated against what they say are unfair returns caused by continued imports of potatoes from outside the state. Similar worries are now being voiced by farmers in Bokakhat, the constituency of Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora.
Growers in Bokakhat say they fear facing outcomes similar to those reported in Sadiya. Many farmers in the area have invested heavily in potato cultivation this season, purchasing seed potatoes and other inputs at high cost. Allegations have been raised that support from the Agriculture Department has been limited, with some farmers receiving fertilisers and seeds only through the Social Development Fund of the Numaligarh Refinery rather than through regular agricultural programmes.
Concerns are particularly strong among farmers who have taken loans from microfinance institutions and other sources to finance potato production. Large-scale growers worry that market prices may again fall below production costs if imports continue unchecked.
Farmers across parts of Numaligarh in Bokakhat, including Dhodang, Kuruwabahi, Boraikhua, and Jognia, have planted potatoes across more than 1,500 bighas of land. Most growers report sourcing seeds, fertilisers, and crop inputs independently and at elevated prices.
Mantu Saikia, a farmer from Kuruwabahi–Jognia village, said local growers support the protests in Sadiya. "As a farmer, I support the protesting stance of the Sadiya farmers. Over the past years, the government's slogan 'Our Field, Our Market' has not been implemented in reality. Most of us farmers have purchased seed potatoes at prices exceeding Rs 60–70. Ironically, in the very constituency of the agriculture minister who speaks loudly about a developed economy, the conditions of farmers are pathetic. In the past, we had to dump quintals of potatoes due to the lack of fair prices, and we did not receive any compensation either. If this time too, farmers in the agriculture minister's constituency face a situation like Sadiya, the ruin of farmers will be inevitable."
Saikia called on the government to halt potato imports from outside the state and to ensure fair pricing for locally produced potatoes. He also urged farmers in Bokakhat to organise collectively.
Similar concerns have been reported by farmers in Chinakan village, which was affected by three floods in 2025. With rice cultivation impacted, farmers in the area shifted toward potatoes, pumpkin, and mustard this season. Like growers elsewhere, they financed seed purchases independently and say that low potato prices would result in substantial losses.
Source: The Sentinel
