Tens of thousands of potato growers in Bengal are in deep financial distress since the beginning of this year with traders forcing procurement prices to drop below Rs. 200 per quintal or around Rs.1.90 per kilogram. West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have witnessed record potato production this year. The trade has choked the off-take forcing producers to sell potatoes at throwaway prices. Bengal farmers are the worst hit. Ironically, the average retail market price of potato across the country is around Rs.2,500 per quintal. West Bengal farmers are losing over Rs.7,000 per Bigha (17,452 Square Feet) of land used for potato cultivation.

The massive price drop at the growers’ level is believed to have been engineered by middlemen, traders and cold storage operators. Surprisingly, neither the state nor the central government has come to the rescue of the poor potato growers. West Bengal is the country’s largest grower of potatoes per acre and the second largest in terms of total produce after Uttar Pradesh. With the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre busy in electioneering in the region, none seems to be seriously interested in addressing the concerns of the distressed farmers.

Source : thenorthlines.com/ For More Details