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Shortage of workers at cold storages , due to local body elections, triggered a 17 per cent increase in potato prices in West Bengal. Prices in the wholesale market went up ₹200 a quintal in the past one week.
The wholesale price of the tuber (average Jyoti variety) is ruling at around ₹1,400 a quintal.
According to Patit Paban De, past president of West Bengal Cold Storage Association, the labour shortage happened as many of the workers who had gone to their home town to vote in the Panchayat elections , are yet to come back.
“Many labourers have not reported back to work for almost 7-10 days. this has hit supplies as stocks have not been moved out,” De told BusinessLine .
The Jyoti potato, which was being sold at around ₹15 a kg in the retail market even about ten days ago, is currently ruling at around ₹19-20; while the more premium Chandramukhi potato is fetching close to ₹24-25 (₹18-20 ).
The State produced nearly 95 lakh tonne of potato this year, down by about 14 per cent as compared with 110 lakh tonne last year. Close to 66-67 lakh tonne of potatoes have found their way into 470-odd cold storages across the State. Nearly 70 lakh tonne of potatoes were kept in cold storages last year.
Stored stock
Typically, fresh potatoes are consumed from from December-end through April. From early May stored stocks start coming into the market.
“While initially (in the first week of May) supply from cold storages were happening at a steady pace; it was disrupted in the last 10 days due to shortage of labourers,” said Bimal Ghora, a potato trader.
According to De, prices are likely to remain steady at current levels at least for the graded or superior quality of the tuber.
“Prices had gone up to ₹1,450 a quintal (for the graded variety); but it has come down in the past one or two days to ₹1,400 . It is likely to remain steady at these levels,” he said.
According to traders, there has been a 20-30 per cent drop in all India production of potatoes this year. This has brightened the prospect for Bengal potatoes, which is finding its way into the markets of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Assam. This is expected to keep prices fairly stable at current levels, traders said.
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