Potato chips may cost more this year. The Hassan potato (Karnataka, India), favoured by chip manufacturers, has been hit by blight, as a result of which only 1,000 quintals have arrived in markets across the district this month, against the usual arrivals of 5,000 quintals at this time of the year.
There is a demand for 1,000 tonnes of potato from other States (exclusively for manufacture of chips).
With the present cultivation, however, growers cannot meet even 20 per cent of the demand. There are speculations that the price may rise further because of low yield.
The Joint Director for Agriculture, Mr Mahesh Gowda, said that every year potato seed worth Rs 35 crore is sold to farmers in the district and the total turnover is about Rs 350 crore.
This year, the turnover may not exceed Rs 50 crore as farmers have opted for maize cultivation, growing the crop in about 52,000 hectares.
