Potato farmers in Doaba enjoy a profitable season

Having sold and emptied all old stocks in the stores and getting Rs 900 to Rs 1200 for each sack weighing 50 kg, the potato farmers of Doaba region have had a good season so far.

The farmers have said that the early varieties of the crop including Kufri Pukhraj were fetching them a remunerative price and that the growth of other varieties currently sown in the fields, including 302, was reasonably good this time.

Potato king of the region Jang Bahadur S Sangha said, “We have been very fortunate as the weather has been very favourable. It remained sunny and there has been no frost. Varieties like Kufri Uday have been fetching Rs 850 to Rs 1,050 for 50 kg which is a

good price.”

Harjaap S Sangha, a prominent potato farmer of the region, said, “Our previous potato stocks in stores got emptied in October. We have got over Rs 900 per 50 kg for the fresh harvest. So far, it has been a fairly good season for us.”

The farmers, however, are a bit wary of the rains and foggy weather ahead. “There have been reports of some parts of the potato belt in Jalandhar getting hail today. Hail is not good for potato. Even a longer spell of rain can cause water logging and rotten the tubers. We hope that the weather gets clear soon,” said Harjaap.

Jaswinder Sangha, another potato farmer, said, “If there will be more rain, there shall be an increased probability of blight disease. Fog and rain will stop the growth of the standing crop. The crop needs

sunshine in the day for a good yield.”

Horticulture Development Officer Paramjit Singh said, “The land under potato has increased marginally this year. It was 1.14 lakh hectare area under potato last year and it had increased to 1.17 lakh hectares this year. The farmers are so far happy with the harvest. They initially got Rs 1200 per 50 kg and now their produce is getting sold for Rs 900 for 50 kg from the fields.

They hope that the remaining season too would fetch them Rs 750 for the 50 kg sack, which is a fairly good price in the peak potato harvesting season.”