UP’s loss in potato market share is Bengal’s acquire

Uttar Pradesh’s loss has largely been West Bengal’s acquire by way of promoting potatoes to different states this yr.

Bengal is at the moment witnessing increased consumption of its potatoes by different States comparable to Odisha, Assam and Andhra Pradesh as costs of the tuber from Uttar Pradesh are ruling increased.

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“Yearly Bengal’s potato growers promote potatoes to Odisha, Assam and Andhra Pradesh. This yr we’re promoting extra potatoes to those three States in comparison with final yr. As the costs of UP’s potatoes are increased in comparison with final yr, these States are shopping for much less potatoes from there. Costs of Bengal’s potatoes have remained roughly the identical,” West Bengal Chilly Storage Affiliation senior official Patit Paban De informed businessline. Uttar Pradesh is the most important potato-growing State of the nation.

West Bengal usually sells round 40 per cent of its whole potato manufacturing to the opposite States. Throughout 2022-23, potato was cultivated on 4.60 lakh hectares in Bengal, the nation’s second largest potato-growing State, and whole manufacturing was round 100 lakh tonnes, which was increased than that in 2021-22.

At Kolkata markets, wholesale costs of the spud have at the moment been hovering round ₹11-13 per kg — virtually the identical as final yr.

Upkeep value

In the meantime, the West Bengal Chilly Storage Affiliation is planning to convene a common assembly on February 24 to take a “ultimate choice” because it has not to date acquired any info from the State authorities on the revision of the rental costs for storage of potatoes. The affiliation has lengthy been demanding that the federal government ought to improve rental costs for storage of potatoes instantly, stating that chilly storage operators are incurring substantial losses as the federal government has not revised rents for the final two years.

Additionally learn: Bengal Chilly Storage Affiliation seeks hike in rental costs for potato storage

In response to affiliation officers, a government-appointed professional committee steered elevating rental costs in early 2023 to account for rising enter, restore, upkeep, and labour prices for chilly storages.

Nevertheless, the federal government’s lack of motion has left the chilly storage trade in dire straits.