Potato unloading from cold storages in West Bengal has been impacted due to poor demand and lack of marketing initiatives in the wake of the Covid pandemic. The slow pace of unloading coupled with the higher production of the tuber this year is likely to drag down prices.

According to Patit Paban De, former president of West Bengal Cold Storage Association, only around six per cent of the total potatoes kept in cold storage has been unloaded in May against 8-9 per cent during same period last year.

Potato production in West Bengal is estimated to be higher by 16 per cent at 110 lakh tonnes this yearcompared with 95 lakh tonnes in 2020. Close to 71 lakh tonnes of potatoes have been kept in cold storages this year against 55 lakh tonnes last year. There are around 400 cold storages in Bengal and the total storage capacity is estimated to be close to 70 lakh tonnes.

“The release has been slower than usual and this is because of excess production across key producing regions and poor demand. The marketing of tuber has also been very weak due to the pandemic,” De told BusinessLine .

Pressure on prices

The higher production of potatoes in the State as well as other key growing regions including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab has been exerting pressure on prices. The wholesale price of the spud (average Jyoti variety) is currently ruling at around ₹10-11 a kg at the store gate against ₹12-13 a kg a month ago. Prices were ruling at around ₹14-15 a kg during the same period a year ago due to lower production and steady demand.

Cultivation of potato in Bengal is spread over close to 4.6 lakh hectares. Hooghly, Burdwan, Bankura, East Midnapore and West Midnapore are key growing districts. There has been around five-to-seven per cent increase in area under cultivation this year. It is to be noted that last year farmers got very good price for their crop due to the lower production and the steady demand almost throughout the year. This had encouraged them to go for higher cultivation of the crop this year. Moreover, the favourable climatic condition in the form of a long winter has helped increase the productivity and yield, sources said.

“If the unloading does not pick up pace then there might be excess quantity of potatoes left in cold storages during the latter half of the year which is likely to exert pressure on prices,” a trader said.

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