West Bengal: Potato prices likely to fall further

Potato selling prices in West Bengal, which has appear down by nearly ₹4-five a kg more than the very last fortnight, is possible to appear down even more if the State federal government does not lengthen the time limit for release of the full inventory from cold storage.

The wholesale potato value in the State is currently ruling at about ₹11-12 a kg, as in contrast with ₹15-sixteen a kg at close of October and early November. Chilly storages typically enter into a contract for holding the tuber till November thirty of every single 12 months and the lease is arrived at on the foundation of that. The State federal government decides to lengthen the day relying on the inventory circumstance.

Festive impact

The potato selling prices experienced long gone up in the course of the festive season because of to a surge in need and lousy release from cold storage because of to the unavailability of labourers. The State federal government stepped in and issued a notification asking farmers and traders to release the full inventory from cold storage by November thirty so as to protect against individuals from hoarding potatoes.

According to Patit Paban De, former president of West Bengal Chilly Storage Affiliation, this introduced down selling prices by nearly ₹4-five a kg in the very last fortnight.

“Close to 23-24 for each cent of the inventory is still left driving in cold storage, as in contrast with near to twenty for each cent in the course of the standard 12 months. We anticipate this to appear down to near to sixteen-seventeen for each cent by the close of this month. If the State federal government does not allow for an extension in the time period and if the remaining potatoes were being to be taken out from cold storages by November thirty, then the tuber will get rotten and the selling prices will crash,” De explained to BusinessLine.

Also read: Rains, festival need force potato selling prices up by more than ₹200 a quintal

Potato generation in West Bengal is increased by nearly sixteen for each cent at one hundred ten lakh tonne this 12 months, as in contrast to 95 lakh tonne in 2020. Close to seventy one lakh tonne of potatoes were being held in cold storage this 12 months, as versus 55 lakh tonne in 2020. There are about 400 cold storages in Bengal and the full storage potential is estimated to be near to 70 lakh tonne.

Cultivation of potatoes in Bengal is distribute more than near to four.six lakh hectares of land. Hooghly, Burdwan, Bankura, East Midnapore and West Midnapore are critical developing districts.

It is to be observed that the value of potatoes in Uttar Pradesh, which is just one of the critical developing locations, has also dropped to about ₹8-10 a kg since of the arrival of new crop. Close to 10-12 for each cent of the inventory in Uttar Pradesh is left in the cold storage at existing.

Continual need

According to marketplace sources, there is a regular need for tuber as large rains in certain areas of the state has impacted other greens.

“There is a fantastic need for Bengal potatoes in the neighbouring markets of Assam, Bihar, Odisha as nicely as in some of the southern markets which have been terribly affected by rains,” a trader explained.

Sowing in West Bengal has also been delayed because of to premature rain and this is possible to lead to some delay in the arrival of new crops. So the latest inventory would be utilized up in December and early January.

Sowing in Uttar Pradesh has also been delayed because of to rains. “In some of the markets this sort of as Farukkhabad and Kannauj, the early crop has also been spoilt because of to large rains,” explained Arvind Agarwal, President of Uttar Pradesh Chilly Storage Affiliation.

Also read: Potato selling prices in Bengal drops by 50% on surplus generation

“If the West Bengal federal government difficulties notification letting inventory to be held in cold storages for marginally for a longer time then the latest inventory would enable meet this need. This will also hold selling prices organization at latest degrees,” De pointed out.