Pune: Potato going the onion way as supplies fall in markets

PUNE: Just when the prices of onions have stabilized to some extent in the market, the humble potato has recorded a price rise of Rs 10 per kg in the last few days. From Rs 30 per kg, the potato prices in the retail market have gone up to Rs 40 per kg.

Retailers said the prices of potatoes had been stable for the last six months but recently shot up due to shortage in the wholesale market.
Across the spectrum from hotels, eateries, homes and community kitchens, potatoes are the commonest vegetable, often used by themselves or with other vegetables. Though winter vegetables like a variety of beans, carrot, beetroot, cauliflower, spinach and others are a draw, potatoes are a necessity.
Sources from the Vegetable Growers' Association of India (VGAI) told TOI that around 50-60% of potato supplies come to Maharashtra from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
However, the inclement weather and rain in September and October last year in those states caused heavy damage to the potato crops.
Maharashtra's own potato rabi produce in 2019-20 is likely to hit the markets after February 15, and it is only after this period that potato prices may normalise, they said.
A source from the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), Pune, said potato prices on Tuesday touched Rs 1,800-Rs 2,700 per quintal. At the start of December, this price was around Rs 1,200-Rs 2,000 per quintal.
“Since the last 15 days, the number of trucks transporting potatoes to the APMC in Pune reduced from the earlier 50-60 per day to 20-25 per day. These trucks would bring potatoes from the northern states of UP and Punjab,” an APMC official said.
Swapnil Gore, a potato wholesaler at Chakan market, told TOI that potatoes planted in November and December last year suffered losses due to on and off rains in parts of the state as well as cloudy sky conditions.
“For instance, per acre area which was to yield 200-300 sacks of potatoes produced around 100-150 bags. Potatoes planted in November and December in the state hit the markets in January this year, but this time the supplies are less by around 50%. Potatoes that were selling in the wholesale market for around Rs 800-1,200 per quintal around November-December on an average have now gone up to Rs 1,800-Rs 2,200 or more per quintal,” Gore said.
Kalu Igwale, a city-based vegetable vendor, said the price of potatoes in the retail market has gone up during the last month from Rs 30 per kg to Rs 40 per kg.
“Lower supplies have come into the market due to low supplies from major potato producing states like UP and Punjab. Less produce from Maharashtra due to last year’s inclement weather and rains have also affected supplies,” he said.
Vitthal Hanamgar, a retailer in NIBM Road said that prices are high as supplies of potatoes from Agra have reduced. “A bulk of potatoes come to Pune from Agra while the local supplies are usually low,” he said.