For now, no decrease in potato price in India

Potato prices in India are not going to come down in the near future as the production of the crop has been reportedly around 20 per cent lower this year in potato growing states.

At present, the major supply of potato in Mumbai has been coming from Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Even in these two states, production is lower to normal, said traders from Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), Vashi.

The surge in price of potato started after there was a sudden rise in diesel price. Price of potato had reached around Rs 26 to Rs 30 in the retail market. That time, it was told that there was a cascading effect of rise in oil prices. However, despite there is a slight decrease in oil price, there is no change in retail as well as wholesale price.

Potato is one of the important vegetables and most homemakers rely on it during monsoon when even vegetable supply is less.

Urmila Patil, a resident of Ghatkopar:

“We can use potato in various form in kitchen.”

“But, Rs 25 to Rs 30 per kg of potato has disturbed the budget.”

According to traders in APMC Vashi, there will no immediate relief from high price of potato.

Dhiren Shah, a trader at APMC:

“There is less production of potato in most of major potato growing states.”

He added that even major growing states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab have low yield. Yields that are 20 to 30% lower have been reported from these states.

There is good yield in West Bengal but most of production goes to Bihar and Jharkhand.

An APMC Administrator:

“We are receiving from West Bengal but the quantity is very low.”

He added that Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar low witnessed production anywhere between 20 and 30 per cent.

Potato prices are likely to inch up further to around Rs 30 a kg at retail level.