Experts explain various methods of marketing potato

Jalandhar, September 13

A seminar on challenges in potato marketing was organised in second Kissan Mela organised by the Jalandhar Potato Growers Association (JPGA).

While addressing the potato growers of Doaba region, Dr Ashiv Mehta, Principal Scientist, Central Potato Research Station (CPRS), Jalandhar, said after the harvesting of potato, a glut of potato just hit the market that causes a price crash as happened recently. “The farmers should not bring the potato to the market right after the harvesting. Instead they should store them for couple months, as potato crop can be stored without cold stores for two to three months. This would also reduce the expenditures of the cold store,” said Dr Mehta.

Dr Mehta said, “The other major challenge comes in the way of marketing is lack of potato processing in India. In western countries 50 to 60 per cent of the potatoes are processed in making chips and other products, whereas in India only 7 per cent of the potatoes are being processed. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to adopt such ways of marketing.”

“We have recently developed a technology to dehydrate the potato, to improve the shelf life of the crop. The technology has also been got patent. It would be helpful for the farmers to store potato for longer period without losing the nutrition value,” said Dr Mehta.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Daljit Singh Gill, Project Officer, Centre for Excellence for Vegetables, said, “Farmers should come forward to sell their product. They must change their attitude and make strategy in advance before sowing the crop. We have 15 acres of vegetables at CEV that we market. We have opened a marketing outlet to sell vegetables and have sold Rs 6 lakh of vegetable in a year. The purpose was to encourage the farmers for marketing.”—TNS