Indian cold storages for potatoes may run out of space soon
With potato prices stabilising around ₹600-700 per 100 kgs across various agricultural markets in the country, growers are now opting to store the potato in cold storages in view of lower returns. According to industry officials, this will result in cold storages running out of space soon.
Patit Paban De, former president of West Bengal Cold Storage Association (WBCSA): “Cold storages in Bengal are full as farmers have opted to store potatoes, expecting to get better prices later on.” “Arrivals have flooded markets in various parts of the country such as Gujarat, Bengal, Punjab, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Most of the arrivals have been diverted to the cold storages,” said Ashish Guru, Senior Vice-President, Federation of Cold Storage Association of India (FCSAI).
While potato modal prices (rates at which most trades take place) in some markets such as Fatehbad in Uttar Pradesh are ruling at ₹550 per 100 kgs, rates in other markets of the state are fluctuating between ₹540 and ₹630 depending on the daily arrivals.
Thehindubusinessline.com reports that in Bengal, potato prices are ruling between ₹650 and ₹825 per 100 kgs against a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹600 fixed by the State government last month. At retail outlets in Delhi and Mumbai, potato is ruling at ₹15 and ₹30 a kg, respectively, according to Ministry of Consumer Affairs data.
Potato prices across India drop 50% in both producing and consuming areas
Potato rates in both producing and consuming areas all over India have crashed 50 per cent to ₹5-6 per kg this year on account of a good winter crop. While consumers are getting their potatoes at very low prices at present, farmers are struggling to even recover their production costs.
As per the analysis of data on potato prices maintained by the Food Processing Ministry, the wholesale rates in 25 out of 60-odd key producing areas spread over Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Punjab, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Bihar were ruling 50% lower on March 20 when compared to the year-ago period.
In fact, wholesale prices of potato on March 20 were ruling below three years’ average at ₹6 per kg in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh as well as in Deesha, Gujarat. One year ago, wholesale potato rates were at ₹8-9 per kg -on the lower side- only in some districts of Uttar Pradesh alone. Whereas in other states, the prices were above ₹10 per kg and were up to ₹23 per kg in wholesale mandis.
[₹100 = €1.10 ]
