The price of potato at the Mettupalayam market has surged in the last month, from Rs 450-550 a bag of 45 kg to Rs 625-675 a bag currently. Trade sources expect the prices to hover around this level till July.

Taking note of this price movement, the Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell (DEMIC) at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, has advised Nilgiris' farmers to sow potato in Neerbogam season (February to May, June) and get a price of Rs 14-16/kg this month and the next.

DEMIC sources foresee a drop in the price by Re 1 to Rs 2 a kg in July. “Do not hold the produce. Sell it immediately upon harvest,” say farm varsity experts.

The advice is based on an analysis of prices at the Nilgiris Cooperative Marketing Society in Mettupalayam over the last two decades.

Experts say that the potatoes grown in the Nilgiris fetch higher prices compared to those grown in Karnataka, UP, West Bengal and Bihar. These potatoes have longer shelf life, the source said.

In Tamil Nadu, potato is grown in the hilly regions of Dindigul, Nilgiris, Krishnagiri and Erode districts

Fresh potatoes from India are exported to Sri Lanka, UAE, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Maldives and Kuwait.

The area under potato in Tamil Nadu dropped by 200 hectares to 4,600 hectares in 2010 -2011, but production rose to 97,200 tonnes against 80,600 tonnes during the earlier year.

During the lean season (February- April), traders source potato from Agra, Hasanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Indore in Madhya Pradesh and Kolar in Karnataka for markets in Tamil Nadu.

Nilgiris' potato is traded in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Trichy, Salem and Vellore.

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