Punjab to witness increase in potato area even as glut problem prevails

Potato area in Punjab is likely to witness an increase over the last year, contrary to the earlier expectations. It was doubted that the state may face decline in area due to glut of the tuber in the market during the harvesting season January-February this year.

According to Horticulture Department officials, this year the projected area would be 85,144 hectares — an increase of over 1,000 hectres over last year.

Further, the total anticipated production would be about 2.13 million tonnes compared to 2.10 million tonnes last year. As far as per hectare yield is concerned, it would be more or less same this year as compared to last year.

It is worth mentioning that in 2011-12, potato was sown over 84, 114 hectares in Punjab, and per hectare yield was 25.01 metric tonnes a hectare. Further, overall the production was 2.10 million tonnes.

Due to record production, the state witness glut of potato. The produce could be seen dumped on roadsides. The market was, in fact, offering them far less than the growing cost of potatoes. Farmers were being offered Rs 0.50 -1 a kg, while the input costs worked out to around Rs 5-6 a kg. Agriculturist felt wheat and paddy crop, with an assured Minimum Support Price (MSP) and no marketing hassles, were going to be their natural choices. However, contrary to the expectation, the state is going to witness marginal increase in an area.

According to the state agriculture department, over 85,144 hectares are under potato cultivation this year. The main potato growing areas in Punjab are Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Kapurthla, Bathinda, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib and Moga. The prevailing retail price of potato is about Rs 8-12 per Kg.

On being asked about steps to be taken so that farmers don’t witness the same situation as last year, Jarnail Singh, a potato farmer from Doaba, mentioned, “The government should withdraw infrastructure tax on cold storage and godowns. Also, the state should introduce freight subsidy to the Potato growers. If the government takes these steps, in case of glut the farmers can either afford to store their crop in cold storage or ferry them out of the state for marketing.”

Meanwhile, potato farmers are upbeat over setting up the Centre of Excellence for Potato in collaboration with India and the Netherland. The institute will impart post-harvest knowledge centre for farmers.

In this centre, the experts are going to impart training to the farmers about best agriculture practices to make farming remunerative and at the same time increasing productivity and mitigating losses.

“We will showcase best technology available in the market and educate the farmer by inviting private players. We have made the project report and work on these centres is likely to be started by the March 2013 and they would commence operation in second half of the next year, “ said an official from the Netherland.