Potato Price Plunge Sparks Alarms in West Bengal

The West Bengal Cold Storage Association has sounded a warning over plunging potato prices, urging government intervention to avert financial crises for farmers and cold storage operators. Key issues include a record stockpile of potatoes, drastic price drops, and unfulfilled government procurement promises pressuring the rural economy.

The West Bengal Cold Storage Association (WBCSA) has raised concerns about a significant drop in wholesale potato prices, which they warn could result in severe financial losses for both farmers and cold storage operators. In a press conference, WBCSA President Sunil Kumar Rana highlighted the critical situation and called for prompt state intervention to forestall a deeper economic crisis in rural areas.

The association emphasized that the gap between wholesale and retail prices has intensified the strain on farmers, who maintain approximately 80% of this year’s potato stock. Currently, West Bengal's cold storages are handling a peak load of 70.85 lakh metric tonnes of potatoes. This includes an additional 10 lakh tonnes due to restrictions on inter-state movement from the previous season.

Subhajit Saha, WBCSA's vice-president, pointed out the catastrophic fall in the wholesale price of the Jyoti variety, from Rs 15 per kg — set as the state’s minimum support price — down to Rs 9 per kg. The association urged the government to immediately procure potatoes at MSP, revive inter-state and international trade, incorporate potatoes into public welfare programs, and introduce a transport subsidy to avert further economic setbacks.