March 29, 2024

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West Bengal: Potato prices likely to fall further

Potato selling prices in West Bengal, which has appear down by almost ₹4-5 a kg around the last fortnight, is very likely to appear down more if the Condition government does not lengthen the time limit for launch of the full stock from cold storage.

The wholesale potato selling price in the Condition is at this time ruling at all-around ₹11-twelve a kg, as compared with ₹15-16 a kg at end of October and early November. Chilly storages normally enter into a agreement for preserving the tuber until November thirty of every calendar year and the rent is arrived at on the foundation of that. The Condition government decides to lengthen the day based on the stock circumstance.

Festive affect

The potato selling prices had long gone up in the course of the festive period owing to a surge in demand from customers and very poor launch from cold storage owing to the unavailability of labourers. The Condition government stepped in and issued a notification asking farmers and traders to launch the full stock from cold storage by November thirty so as to reduce people from hoarding potatoes.

In accordance to Patit Paban De, former president of West Bengal Chilly Storage Association, this introduced down selling prices by almost ₹4-5 a kg in the last fortnight.

“Close to 23-24 for every cent of the stock is even now remaining driving in cold storage, as compared with shut to twenty for every cent in the course of the regular calendar year. We be expecting this to appear down to shut to 16-17 for every cent by the end of this month. If the Condition government does not allow an extension in the time time period and if the remaining potatoes ended up to be taken out from cold storages by November thirty, then the tuber will get rotten and the selling prices will crash,” De told BusinessLine.

Also study: Rains, competition demand from customers press potato selling prices up by around ₹200 a quintal

Potato production in West Bengal is bigger by almost 16 for every cent at a hundred and ten lakh tonne this calendar year, as compared to ninety five lakh tonne in 2020. Near to seventy one lakh tonne of potatoes ended up retained in cold storage this calendar year, as versus 55 lakh tonne in 2020. There are all-around 400 cold storages in Bengal and the full storage ability is approximated to be shut to 70 lakh tonne.

Cultivation of potatoes in Bengal is unfold around shut to four.6 lakh hectares of land. Hooghly, Burdwan, Bankura, East Midnapore and West Midnapore are key rising districts.

It is to be observed that the selling price of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh, which is a person of the key rising regions, has also dropped to all-around ₹8-ten a kg since of the arrival of new crop. Near to ten-twelve for every cent of the stock in Uttar Pradesh is remaining in the cold storage at current.

Constant demand from customers

In accordance to market resources, there is a continual demand from customers for tuber as major rains in specific areas of the country has impacted other vegetables.

“There is a superior demand from customers for Bengal potatoes in the neighbouring markets of Assam, Bihar, Odisha as very well as in some of the southern markets which have been poorly afflicted by rains,” a trader claimed.

Sowing in West Bengal has also been delayed owing to untimely rain and this is very likely to guide to some hold off in the arrival of new crops. So the present-day stock would be employed up in December and early January.

Sowing in Uttar Pradesh has also been delayed owing to rains. “In some of the markets this kind of as Farukkhabad and Kannauj, the early crop has also been spoilt owing to major rains,” claimed Arvind Agarwal, President of Uttar Pradesh Chilly Storage Association.

Also study: Potato selling prices in Bengal drops by 50% on excessive production

“If the West Bengal government issues notification making it possible for stock to be retained in cold storages for a bit lengthier then the present-day stock would support meet this demand from customers. This will also maintain selling prices agency at present-day amounts,” De pointed out.