March 28, 2024

Paull Ank Ford

Business Think different

Potato firms up on steady demand, lower output

Potato rates in West Bengal have firmed up by almost sixteen per cent above the previous one month backed by continual demand from customers and decreased production of the tuber this 12 months. The wholesale rate of potato (the regular Jyoti wide variety), which was ruling at ₹1,800-one,900 a quintal in the to start with 7 days of June, has long gone up to ₹2,two hundred a quintal at existing.

The retail rate of the regular wide variety (Jyoti) is ₹28 a kg, ₹3 a kg greater than the ₹25 a kg a fortnight ago. The premium Chandramukhi wide variety is fetching ₹34-35 a kg (₹28 a kg a fortnight ago).

In accordance to Patit Pavan De, Member, West Bengal Cold Storage Affiliation, although the general release of potatoes from chilly storages up to June stop this 12 months is nearly at par with previous 12 months, offloading, having said that, was decreased in the month of June. This pushed up rates.

In addition, the Point out government has been procuring potato for its mid-day food plan at a comparatively greater rate (nearly ₹3 a kg greater than its regular procurement rate). This has also aided rates to agency up.

“The decreased production of potatoes, coupled with a continual demand from customers from government for mid-day food plan, has firmed up potato rates in Bengal,” De informed BusinessLine.

Potato production in West Bengal has been decreased than predicted mainly thanks to the delayed sowing and the unfavourable temperature conditions for the duration of harvesting. The Point out, which creates one hundred ten-a hundred and fifteen lakh tonnes of the tuber just about every 12 months, is believed to deliver just eighty five-90 lakh tonnes this 12 months, decreased than previous year’s production of 92 lakh tonnes.

Stress acquiring

The loading in chilly storages has also been decreased as as opposed to previous 12 months, with only fifty five lakh tonnes (roughly 79 per cent of the complete capability) of potato earning its way to storage models. There are all over 400 chilly storages in Bengal and they are capable of storing close to 70 lakh tonnes of potatoes.

The complete release of potato up to June stop is close to 23 per cent, which is at par with previous 12 months. Offloading of potato ordinarily starts only all over stop April or early May perhaps and the entire demand from customers for the tuber is met as a result of immediate harvest from the fields. On the other hand, this 12 months, the decreased production and the greater demand from customers from in just and outdoors the Point out thanks to stress acquiring in the wake of Covid lockdown experienced led to offloading of potato from chilly storages in April 8-10 per cent was launched in April.

The West Bengal government, on Tuesday, issued orders to reimpose a full lockdown throughout containment zones in Kolkata and throughout all districts of the Point out, suspending all things to do besides crucial services, in perspective of climbing quantity of coronavirus situations.

This is probable to guide to a spurt in demand from customers for the tuber, thereby pushing up rates, a trader explained. West Bengal has currently been witnessing a spike in demand from customers for potato on the again of reverse migration of workers to the Point out. This aside, there has been a acceptable demand from customers coming in from Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand.