News on Potato Trade from India

Potato supply from West Bengal was disrupted again with the authorities of the neighbouring state re-imposing transport restrictions from today (August 24, 2014), a week after Trinamool Congress (TMC) government there relaxed movement of this vegetable variety to Odisha.

To prevent rising prices of potato in the state, the West Bengal government has decided to continue a ban on its transportation to other states and abroad until normal situation was restored.

Potato prices are rising in North India due to a lack of supply

The Narendra Modi government (India) on Tuesday decided to bring onions and potatoes under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to curb black marketing and hoarding, blamed for recent surge in prices. This will empower states to impose caps on stocks of these two vegetables for traders.

Bending over backwards following pressure from other states and agitations by traders' associations there, the West Bengal government Monday relaxed its ban on export of potatoes

Farmers in Bihar's Nalanda district are happy that potatoes grown by them through organic farming will be exported to Russia, an official said on Friday.

Potato prices have not declined in the West Bengal despite the government banning potato export from August 1 from the state.

With potato prices at Rs 20 a kg in retail in the domestic market, traders from northern India have started to import Pakistani potatoes that are 20% to 40% cheaper.

In Assam, a state in north east of India, an Inter State Potato Marketing System was successfully inaugurated by Assam Agriculture, Horticulture &Food Processing Minister Mr. Nilamoni Sen Deka at Gingia, Biswanath Chariali for the benefit of its potato growers.

A European Union (EU) team is touring Punjab to examine whether the state’s potato crop is pest-free, with the government pushing hard for access to the European market.