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Ambar Singh Roy

Kolkata, Jan. 9 The first instalment of the new potato crop in West Bengal has begun to arrive in the upcountry markets. The Jyoti S and Jyoti S1 varieties of the potato crop are being sold from fields at Rs 330 per packet of 50 kg each. The price of the new potato crop this year is stated to be slightly higher than last year. The same potato is being sold in the retail market for Rs 8 per kg. The potato crop is being lifted by the ‘Mahajans’ straight from the farmers’ fields. In many cases, the Mahajans had provided the farmers with seeds and fertilisers, or the money to purchase the same, under a buyback arrangement that the two parties had entered into at the beginning of the sowing season. The rest of the crop will be harvested by end-February or early-March this year.

Among all the potato producing States in the country, West Bengal is ranked No 2 in terms of production volumes, after Uttar Pradesh. However, at a productivity level of around 22-25 tonnes per hectare, West Bengal is ranked No 1 in the country. Sixty per cent of the potato produced in West Bengal is grown in the two adjacent districts of Bardhaman and Hooghly. Other districts where potato is grown include West Midnapore, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Bankura, Birbhum, North 24 Parganas and Murshidabad.

According to latest statistics available with the State Government, the total land area under potato cultivation in the State is 3,20,532 hectares. The total quantity of potato produced in West Bengal has been pegged at 71 lakh tonnes. While most of the potato crop comprises the ‘Jyoti’ and ‘Chandramukhi’ varieties, other potato varieties that are cultivated include Ashoka, Pokhraj and Badshah. New processable varieties, such as Chipsona I, II and III, Atlanta, Fritolay and Surya with less sugar content and more dry matter, have also been introduced in recent times. The Jyoti variety gives higher yield per hectare compared with the Chandramukhi variety.

There are around 400 cold storages in the State. Together, they have a capacity to store 50 lakh tonnes of potatoes. Of the total number of cold storages, 375 store “table variety” potatoes, while the rest store seeds and processable potato varieties.

Dr D. Konar, Director of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal, said the productivity and profitability from potato cultivation is among the highest compared with paddy or other vegetables. This has lead to a steady increase in the acreage under potato cultivation in the State.

More Stories on : Horticulture/Fruits & Vegetables | West Bengal

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