Potato growers in the key growing regions of North India are set for a long wait for better return of their crop.

The second advanced estimates in May had pegged the total potato production at a record 44.89 million tonnes (mt) for 2014-15, which is about 8 per cent higher than the 41.55 mt produced in 2013-14.

Following the bumper crop, potato prices this year have remained subdued at around one-third of what was seen in the previous year. However, over the past one month, prices have started firming up as farmers hold back their produce.

Prices recover At the Agra market, potato prices were quoted at ₹590 a quintal with arrivals of 21,000 quintals on June 15. A year ago, on the same day prices hovered around ₹1,420 with arrivals of 13,500 quintals.

The prices have recovered from their bottom levels of ₹300 in April 2015, when arrivals were at a peak of 32,000 quintals.

Cold storage stocks “Farmers who could stock their produce in the cold storages, have already done it. But still there is a large quantity lying in the fields with the farmers. They will first bring that to market and then cold storage stock will get released. There is likely to be heavy supplies till the next sowing in September,” said Gopal Singh, a potato grower from Shaheed Bhagat SIngh Nagar district in Punjab. According to the estimates of National Horticultural Research & Development Foundation (NHRDF), about 250 lakh tonnes (lt) of the tuber is stored in cold storages across the country, while the total monthly consumption is estimated at around 25-26 lt.

The major produce is stored in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Small quantity is also stored by the growers in temporary storages, which they dispose of within 2-3 months of harvesting.

Higher exports “This year, we have seen bumper potato production. The prices have recovered from their lowest levels and have almost stabilised at these levels. Currently, there is not much profit for farmers, but they get reasonable price for their crop, while same way it is a good price for consumers,” said RP Gupta, Director, NHRDF.

Gupta further maintained that inspite of having record potato exports this year, there will be supply pressure in the market. India’s potato exports have grown by close to three times since 2012-13 from 1.14 lt to 3.05 lt in 2014-15.

Also, the export value per unit has increased from ₹9,500 a tonne in 2012-13 to ₹23,817 in 2014-15.

With record exports this year, farmers do not see potato prices to fall. But due to supply pressure, it is likely to take longer for them to see profit with attractive price.

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