Kolkata, Jul 25 (PTI) The West Bengal Cold Storage Association (WBCSA) on Friday raised the alarm over a sharp drop in wholesale potato prices, warning of severe financial losses for farmers and cold storage operators, and calling for urgent state intervention to prevent a deeper rural economic crisis.
WBCSA president Sunil Kumar Rana said the widening gap between wholesale and retail prices is putting immense pressure on farmers, who hold nearly 80 per cent of the potato stock stored this year.
“The entire ecosystem of potato cultivation and storage is at risk,” he told reporters.
This year, cold storages in West Bengal are holding a record 70.85 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes, including an additional 10 lakh tonnes of early variety, due to last season’s ban on inter-state movement. Most storage units are now operating at full capacity.
Association vice-president Subhajit Saha said wholesale price of the Jyoti variety, which was trading at Rs 15 per kg, the state-declared minimum support price (MSP), during the start of unloading in May, have since collapsed to Rs 9 per kg.
“Unless the government intervenes to ensure Rs 15/kg wholesale price, the rural economy will collapse and farmers will be discouraged from sowing next year,” Saha warned.
He further alleged that the state government was yet to fulfil its March promise of procuring 11 lakh tonnes (or 2.2 crore packets) of potatoes from farmers.
Farmers are now suffering losses of Rs 400-500 per quintal, particularly in districts like Burdwan, Bankura, Medinipur, and parts of North Bengal, where prices have dipped sharply at cold storage gates.
WBCSA urged the state to step in with a set of corrective measures, including immediate procurement at MSP, revival of inter-state and international potato trade, and incorporation of potatoes into public welfare schemes such as mid-day meals.
It also recommended introducing a transport subsidy to facilitate movement of stock outside the state.
“If these steps are not taken immediately, a demand-supply imbalance will occur, sowing will shrink, cold storages will remain underutilised, and the rural economy could face long-term damage,” Rana said.
The association warned that without concrete policy support, the state’s Rs 10,000-crore potato economy could face a cascading crisis, impacting farmers, storage units, and the broader rural economy. PTI BSM MNB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.