DECLINING NUMBERS LEADS TO PRICE INCREASE UNTIL YEAR END.
SUPPLY shortages have led to a price surge for potatoes in India.
The wholesale market in Vashi has seen a price increase of 25% in recent weeks, with a continuous supply decline, according to a report in the Lokmat Times, a key news source in India.
The situation is not expected to improve until the arrival of new crops at the year’s end, as potato production in key states has fallen. The Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi, which sources potatoes from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, has reported a decrease in potato yield.
Adverse weather conditions have led to a 22 to 30% drop in yield per acre in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, with the latter, being the second-largest potato-producing state, experiencing a 10% production decrease.
Supply constraints have been exacerbated by farmers’ decisions to reduce potato cultivation following overproduction losses last year.
A shift towards garlic cultivation, driven by its price surge, has further impacted potato availability. From March to May, potato prices at APMC Vashi escalated from Rs 10 to Rs 15 per kg, reaching a nearly double price increase over two to three months. The retail market now sees potatoes priced between Rs 35 to Rs 40 per kg.
With production dwindling, a further supply decrease is anticipated until November, when new crops are expected to stabilize the market. Currently, the market receives around 35 truckloads of potatoes daily from the mentioned states.
Source: Lokmat Times
