In a repeat of last year’s glut, potato farmers in the state of Jalandhar are suffering due to the crashing rates of their produce. Cold store facilities are bursting at the seams with the old crop, forcing the farmers to sell their crop at throwaway prices.
Although the production rate decreased by 10-12 per cent this year, the government’s failure to find a long-term solution has led to a glut again, said Jagjit Singh, a potato farmer based in Gajipur village.
He added, “After facing a huge dip in the price of the old crop, farmers are now getting a meagre Rs2-3 per kg for the fresh produce. Our production cost was Rs5 per kg. However, the same crop is selling in the market at Rs10-20 per kg.”
With potato prices abysmally low, farmers, along with owners of cold stores are feeling the pinch. The growers are not coming forward to procure the crop from cold storages due to the extremely low prices, and cold store owners are facing losses as well.
The old crop is either rotting in the vegetable markets and cold stores or being taken away by Gujjars to prepare fodder for cattle, said Rupinder Minhas, secretary, Maqsudan Sabzi Mandi Board. He said a sack of 50-kg potatoes was being sold at Rs30-40 in the wholesale market.
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