Bengal cold storage closure threat may impact potato farmers

Bengal potato farmers may face threat of low realisation when new crop hits market from mid-January faced with the prospect of fall in cold storage capacity in the days to come.

"Due to non-revision of rentals in the last three years, cold storage owners are facing severe cost pressure and if government does not take corrective measure closure of small cold stores seems imminent," West Bengal Cold Storage Association president Rampada Paul told PTI.

He feared that on one hand there will be sudden sharp supply of potato in the market as sowing was delayed by 10-15 days.

"On the other hand, threat remains for closure of atleast small cold storages in the state as there was no rental hike in the last three years and operation costs have jumped by atleast 50 per cent," Paul said.