West Bengal’s potato farmers in trouble - reportedly resulting in multiple suicides

Even though the ban by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on sale of potatoes to other states over the past three years has been lifted, cases of farmer suicides, which some say may have been driven by the fear of heavy losses, are still being reported.

Farmers here are unable to cash in on the impact of unseasonal rains on the output in Uttar Pradesh while the traditional buyers in Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and the northeast have already reduced their dependence on West Bengal for supply of the tuber.

Potato production has been 15 per cent higher in the state this year than in the previous one, at 110 lakh tonne. Since the neighbouring states are not picking up much from Bengal, the farmers are being forced to sell potatoes at Rs 140 for a 50 kg packet while the cost of production has been the same at Rs 250. This means, the farmers are facing a loss of Rs 110 on a 50 kg packet. Last year, the farmers had sold a 50 kg packet at Rs 300-350.

Multiple farmer suicides have been linked to resulting financial difficulties

"The neighbouring states have started growing potatoes on their own and they are also relying on tubers from Uttar Pradesh. This has resulted in drying up of orders from these states," said Gopal Mondol, advisor, West Bengal Progressive Potato Merchants Association.

"Nearly 40 per cent of our production generally gets exported to other states. It is a difficult year for the farmers of Bengal. They will face heavy losses but consumers will get potatoes at a lower price."