News on The Potato Supply Chain from India

Cold storages full at 97% capacity; bumper crop drags prices of the spud down.

Potato cultivators in West Bengal were afraid they will face severe losses as the price of good quality seeds have skyrocketed even as the minimum support price (MSP) fixed has remained relatively low.

Retail prices of potatoes have risen marginally, given that farmers have been scrambling to stock up on the harvest, which has had a bumper production this year. This very bounty and the stockpiling is expected to keep potato prices stable over the next season.

Predicting a bumper harvest of potato this season, the West Bengal Cabinet on Monday decided to allow cold storage owners to purchase at least 10 lakh (1 Million) metric tons of tuber from farmers at a fixed price, so that they do not have to suffer losses, a senior official said.

Central Potato Research Institute, (CPRI) Ooty in Tamil Nadu has developed two disease resistant potatoes - Kufri Sahyadri and Kufri Karan - hybrid varieties which at present showing promising results in improving yield by 25 per cent to 30 per cent at laboratory level.

On Jan 31, 2021, the team of Allround (India) Vegetable Processing Machines Pvt Ltd, Ambala, Haryana took part in the inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of the expansion and capacity enhancement project of the unit.

Researchers of the International Potato Center (CIP) explain the difficulties small potato farmers in many states of India may face to access good-quality planting materials at affordable prices.

Prices of Potatoes and all other vegetables and pulses have steadily increased through the course of the coronavirus-infused lockdown.

Blaming the federal government for the steep hike in prices of essential commodities, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal alleged that the prices were rising as the Centre has snatched away the state's power.

Even as the State Potato Mission failed to take off due to the lack of direction and apathy of the government to the project, it has expressed it desire to revalidate the contract with the International Potato Centre (CIP) for intensification of potato production.

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.’s Farm Equipment Sector (FES), a part of the USD 19.4 billion Mahindra Group, today announced the launch of its new advanced Precision Potato Planting machinery, the new ‘PlantingMaster Potato +’.

The Kolkata state government (India) had given seven days time to potato traders to lower its wholesale price to Rs 22 per kg so that it can be sold at Rs 25 per kg.

Zephyr Peacock backed potato seeds company, Utkal Tubers, has announced the appointment of Vinod Bhat, an industry veteran as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Potato prices have surged 28-38% in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the top two producers of the tuber which has become the staple across India during the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

As weather in West-Bengal, India turns unfavourable, output falls sharply and potato prices shoot up.

Continuing its push to promote healthier variants of potatoes, FMCG major ITC is set to begin trial cultivation of red potatoes at Chandrala village of Gandhinagar district in Gujarat. Red potatoes are a variety recently launched by the company...

The state ranked fourth in the production of potatoes after Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar with a share of 30%, 22% and 10%, respectively, in India’s total potato production.

India's Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced today that he will be addressing the 3rd Global Potato Conclave at Gandhinagar, Gujarat through remote video conferencing tomorrow i.e 28th of January 2020.