Bengali potato prices increase 40%
summary：Bengali government data projected this year's potato crop would be at the same level as last year; however, wholesale potato prices in West Bengal have risen by 15-40 percent this month and the national average for the month shows an 18 percent jump, sugg...
Bengali government data projected this year's potato crop would be at the same level as last year; however, wholesale potato prices in West Bengal have risen by 15-40 percent this month and the national average for the month shows an 18 percent jump, suggesting lower output.In 2015-16, total production in the country, according to the first government estimates, was 48.1 million tonnes, spread over 2.08 million hectares, against 48 million tonnes from 2.07 million ha in 2014-15, said R P Gupta, director, National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF).
A second government estimate is expected within a month and traders contend production is quite a bit lower than last year, with estimates of around 15%.
The national average price has increased from Rs 635 a quintal to Rs 754 a qtl in a month, up 19 percent, according to data from NHRDF. In the same period, at the Kolkata market, the rise has been nearly 40 per cent, to Rs 980 a qtl.
Total potato production in Bengal is expected to be close to 10 mt this year. The retail price in the city is around Rs 15 a kg. “If the trend continues, retail prices are expected to touch close to Rs 20 a kg,” said De. ''In the export market, our higher prices are making the Indian variety undesirable. The average export price of our variety is $250-325 a tonne. That from Pakistan and Bangladesh is $170-200 a tonne.''