'Potato prices may remain in Rs 450-500/qtl range in Feb-Mar'

Chandigarh, Nov 22. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today said potato prices are likely to be in the range of Rs 450-550 per quintal during February-March 2014. Stating this, PAU'S Agricultural Market Intelligence Centre (AMIC) incharge Jagrup S. Sidhu said that the prices of the potato crop in the major markets of the state ruled between Rs 400 and Rs 500 per quintal during January 2012 to April 2013, and increased in the range of Rs 500-750 during May to October 2013. Due to rising demand and shrinking supply, the potato prices were up recently, he added. The demand for potato increased due to its substitution for other costly vegetables, he said, while pointing out disruption in the supply of vegetables because of delayed summer and late rainfall during September-October 2013. At the same time, the high temperature during these months adversely affected the yield of new pre-mature harvested potato crop, he observed. "High potato prices during November have prompted the farmers to harvest pre-mature potato from larger area. Therefore, the supply of main crop during February 2014 onwards may be tightened which will put upward pressure on potato prices during 2013-14," said Sidhu. Moreover, the potato production is also likely to decline marginally as the untimely rainfall during its harvesting time in February 2013 has adversely affected the quality of potato seed in most parts of the state, he added. Highlighting that potato is the most important vegetable in India, Sidhu said the country is the second largest producer of this crop with more than 10 per cent share in world potato production after China, with a share of 22 per cent. "In India, about 85 per cent potato is grown in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Punjab," he informed. Most of the potato produced in the country is consumed within the country with very little export mainly to neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Punjab accounts for about five per cent of the total potato production in the country, he said. The area and production of potato in the country remained almost same during 2012-13 as that of last year around 19 lakh hectares and 450 lakh tonnes, respectively. Similarly in Punjab, the area and production of potato remained around 85 thousand hectares and 21 lakh tonnes, respectively, during the same period, he said.