Power shock for Agra potatoes

The UP government's decision to shut down power supply to industries has dealt a blow to the export possibilities of Agra's potatoes, known in the country as the best possible potato variety for the potato chips industry.

The Agra Cold Storage Owners' Association has warned if power supply to the cold storages is cut off, it can result in potatoes mouldering because they are stored in the over 125 cold storages of Agra.

The association has said this, on the one hand, will degrade the quality of the potato, destroying its export potential, while on the other, it will cause a steep climb in potato rates throughout the country.

Rajesh Goyal, secretary, Agra Cold Storage Owners Association, said when the UP government had announced the new electricity tariffs, it had declared special rebates for the industrial units operating during night.

He said the industrial units that operated between 10 pm and 5 am were to be given a special rebate of 5 per cent on electricity charges while those operating during the day were to be charged 25 per cent extra on the usual tariffs.

This decision of the UP government to cut off electricity for industries during the night had come as a double blow.

He said Agra had more than 125 cold storages, which, at present, could store 750,000 tonnes of potatoes, which was sufficient for the country for a month.

He said these potatoes had to be stored at a temperature of almost zero degree centigrade, but if electricity was off during nights, maintaining such low temperatures would become impossible and the potatoes would be spoiled.

He said Agra potatoes, grown in the area around Khandoli near Hathras, had high export potential because they were a favourite with multinational potato-chip manufacturing companies operating in India and abroad. This year, farmers were expecting a good crop.