Potato in Punjab has become expensive by Rs 2 per kg due to rains affecting the sowing of crop, even as the state is targeting 80,000 hectares of land for potato cultivation this season.
"In wholesale, the rates of potato increased by Rs 1 kg while in retail the prices are up by Rs 2 per kg due to rains," Jalandhar based potato trader Rinku Aggarwal said.
The wholesale prices of Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Pukhraj, which are main seed varieties, have surged from Rs 150 per bag (50 kg) to Rs 200 per bag and Rs 250 per bag to 300 per bag respectively. In retail, the prices of potato are up from 7-8 per kg to 9-10 per kg in last fifteen days, traders said.
Sowing of early varieties of potato crop in Punjab has been delayed by heavy rains in north, causing firming up in rates. Moreover, potato growers are also holding up the last year’s crop in cold storages in order to get advantage of rising prices.
"The potato crop sowing particularly in Hoshiarpur district has been delayed due to rains," Punjab Horticulture Director LS Brar said here today.
Only 30-35 per cent of an area in Hoshiarpur district has been covered by potato growers so far against the completion of 90 per cent of sowing last year, the confederation of potato growers President SS Bhatti said.
"By September 15, farmers cover 80-90 per cent of an area in Hoshiarpur belt but this year only 30-35 per cent has been covered because of rains," expert said. About 10,000 hectares of land is for potato cultivation in Hoshiarpur district out of total 80,000 hectares of land under potato in Punjab.
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"The delay in sowing of potato crop will further impact the cultivation of another crop like wheat in Hoshiarpur in coming Rabi season as the harvesting of potato will be delayed," Brar pointed out.
The early sown varieties of potato are normally harvested in 60-65 days of sowing. The sowing of potato crop in rest of the districts including Jalandhar, Kapurthala is expected to begin in October, which is harvested in February.
This year Punjab is looking to bring over 80,000 hectares of land under potato crop. Last year, it cultivated potato over 83,000 hectares of land with the output of 21 lakh metric tonnes.
The state has almost 5 to 7 per cent share in country’s total potato production and the state is famous for producing seed potato crop.