Potato prices to stay firm due to bulk buying, low production

Potato selling prices, which have amplified by almost forty five for every cent in the final fortnight, are possible to continue to be agency going forward, on the back of an approximated drop in generation and big-scale stocking by customers in West Bengal.

Selling prices ordinarily witness a softening trend at the time of harvesting, which usually will get completed by March-conclude. The arrival of the new crop delivers down selling prices. On the other hand, this calendar year has been distinctive.

The wholesale cost of potato (Jyoti wide range) is now ruling at around ₹1,600 a quintal, just about forty five for every cent higher than ₹1,a hundred a quintal described in the second 7 days of March. Retail selling prices are also ruling agency, with Jyoti fetching close to ₹20-22 a kg (₹16-18 a kg in early March) and the improved good quality Chandramukhi potato earning ₹25-26 a kg (₹22 a kg).

Lower generation

Apart from the current spurt in acquiring, approximated decrease generation in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab this calendar year has also led to a higher demand for potatoes in Bengal.

“The moment the lockdown was announced, men and women bought potato in bulk quantity and stored it as there was fear that they may possibly not get their materials afterwards. This sent the selling prices zooming higher. Potatoes from our Condition have also been going into Bihar and Jharkhand, as generation in Uttar Pradesh is also approximated to be decrease this calendar year. This has pushed up our selling prices,” claimed a potato trader.

Selling prices are possible to stabilise to around ₹1,300-one,500 a quintal in April in May perhaps once again, there is envisioned to be a marginal boost the moment the potatoes kept in chilly storage start out arriving into the industry, sources claimed.

Delayed harvesting

Potato harvesting in West Bengal, which is ordinarily comprehensive by the third 7 days of March, is however lagging by around five-8 for every cent. Loading of potatoes into chilly storage, which is ordinarily comprehensive by March-conclude, is also down by around 10 for every cent so significantly this calendar year, on account of labour scarcity in the wake of the current coronavirus outbreak.

Harvesting of potatoes in West Bengal was currently delayed by more than a fortnight this calendar year on account of premature rains. Sowing of the early wide range — Pokhraj — which ordinarily starts as early as conclude-Oct and the afterwards wide range — Jyoti — which starts around the second 7 days of November, was delayed subsequent premature rains. As a result harvesting, which ordinarily start out by December twenty, could only start out from January seven this calendar year.

Delayed sowing and harvesting also impacted the generation of the tuber in Bengal. The Condition, which generates close to one hundred ten-one hundred fifteen lakh tonnes of the tuber just about every calendar year, is approximated to produce close to just ninety lakh tonnes this calendar year. This is even decrease than final year’s generation of ninety two lakh tonnes.

 

According to Patit Pavan De, member, West Bengal Chilly Storage Association, more than five for every cent of crop is nonetheless to be harvested, generally in the districts of Midnapore and Bankura. Potato cultivation in Bengal is spread more than close to four.6 lakh hectares of land. Hooghly, Burdwan, Bankura, East Midnapore and West Midnapore are critical expanding districts.

“Harvesting is however continuing in the districts of Midnapore and Bankura. Loading in chilly storages is around seventy five-80 for every cent this calendar year, as in contrast to 88-ninety for every cent similar period of time final calendar year. When this lockdown was announced we had been at the peak of loading, there had been some original labour complications and this delayed the loading at some of the chilly storage,” De told BusinessLine.

There are around 400 chilly storages in Bengal, which are capable of storing close to 70 lakh tonnes of potatoes.