Relief for potato growers, 20 rakes sent to other states

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 13

In a relief to potato growers in the state, about 20 rakes loaded with potatoes have been dispatched to other states such as Odisha and Karnataka. The state government has allowed freight subsidy of Rs 50 per quintal for sending potato to other states.

“What has been sent is an informal seed stock of potato from Punjab to other states and it has fetched a reasonable price,” said Suresh Kumar, Financial Commissioner (Development). He said Punjab was one of the largest producers of quality potato seed.

He said about 40,000 tonne potato had already been sent and more would be sent in days to come. He said Markfed, which was asked to probe the possibility of exporting potato, was trying hard to procure export orders. On export, there is a subsidy of Rs 200 per quintal.

The potato production is likely to go beyond 22 lakh tonne in the state this season. Other potato-producing states such as West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh have also done well this time.

“Due to a glut of potato in the national market, its price crashed to Rs 2 per kg in the wholesale market,” said a potato grower. “With Rs 2 per kg, one cannot meet the production cost, leave alone the profit,” he claimed.

Besides Punjab, other states such as Gujarat and West Bengal have also announced subsidy to potato growers to bail them out from the crisis they are facing due to the crash in its price.

Suresh Kumar said officials concerned had been told to enhance the use of potato in the mid-day meal scheme for school students and other official functions.