Potato Prices hover around Rs. 1000-1200 per quintal during Harvest in Hassan Market

            Potato is the third most important food crop in the world which is consumed by more than a billion people. Food and Agriculture Organization of UN has declared potato as 'Food for Future'. The demand for potato is much higher worldwide and will increase in the future especially from developing nations. India is the second largest producer and is one of the largest consumers of potato with more than 12 per cent share in the world potato production after China, which has a share of 22 per cent.

            For 2015, India’s overall production is likely to stand at 42 million tonnes (mt), according to initial estimates by the National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF). India produced 46.39 million tonnes of potato from an area of 2.024 million hectares in 2013-14. Uttar Pradesh with 32 per cent, followed by West Bengal (26 per cent) and Bihar (14 per cent) accounted for more than 70 per cent of total production. The area and production of potato were 47.5 thousand hectares and 504.1thousand tonne, respectively in Karnataka during 2012-13. Most of the potato produced in the country is consumed domestically with a little export mainly to neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

            The major potato growing districts in Karnataka are Hassan (more than 41%), Chikmagalur, Belgaum, Dharwad, Bengaluru Rural and Kolar.

The NIAP-New Delhi’s’, Network Project on Market Intelligence functioning in the Department of Agricultural Marketing, Co-operation and Business Management, UAS, Bengaluru collected the modal prices of potato that prevailed in Hassan market during the last ten years and Statistical analysis was carried out to predict the prices of potato for the harvesting months to guide potato farmers. Also an opinion survey of potato traders was conducted. Based on the analysis and Market survey, it is forecasted that potato would fetch a modal price of around Rs.1000-1200 per quintal during harvesting months. This forecast prevails for current market sentiments, storage pattern & any change in EXIM policy could alter the prices.

RESEARCH TEAM

Dr. M. S. Jayaram, Dr. C. P. Gracy, Dr. M. R. Girish

Mangala V Reddy, Sowmya Shree, K. L

Department of Agricultural Marketing, Co-operation and Business Management

    UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru-65