Bumper potato harvest sparks distress sales fears, no sign of farm-retail gap narrowing

Kolkata: An unprecedented bumper potato harvest in Bengal, powered by exceptionally favourable weather and high yields, has sparked fears of large-scale distress sales and mounting financial stress across the supply chain.The record production notwithstanding, the benefits are apparently bypassing both ends of the supply chain. At the farm gate, potatoes are selling for Rs 6 a kg but in Kolkata's retail markets, people are paying Rs14-Rs 17 a kg, according to traders. The disparity highlights the role of ‘forey' or middlemen, controlling supply and pricing.
Conservative estimates peg total potato production at around 1.5 crore tonnes and traders believe output could cross 1.7 crore tonnes this harvesting season, ending in April. With the state's domestic consumption hovering around 60 lakh tonnes, nearly 1 crore tonnes of surplus potatoes may not find buyers or storage space. The state's 580 cold storages can together hold about 75 lakh tonnes .But panchayat and rural development minister Pradip Mazumdar said, "There is no dearth of demand in the domestic market. If farmers, with the help of technology and science, can produce potatoes with low moisture content, there can be export potential."In 2024, when production had dipped, retail price in Kolkata had risen to Rs 45 per kg. "If the govt did not intervene, people would have been forced to buy potatoes for Rs 55 a kg," pointed out agri-marketing minister Becharam Manna, adding the see-sawing of prices was a continuous process and a lot of it was controlled by middlemen.Potato remains one of the biggest cash crops in Bengal, cultivated on 5 lakh hectares. While the bumper harvest reflected agricultural success, the lack of market alignment threatened to turn the abundance into crisis, said insiders. "This time, the yields are exceeding 30 tonnes per hectare," said Sunil Kumar Rana, president of West Bengal Cold Storage Association. "But higher production without market support may lead to a sharper price fall than that last year." The industry is still reeling from last season. In 2025, the state offered a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 900 per quintal under a procurement scheme. But open market prices fell to around Rs 600 per quintal, resulting in losses of Rs 2,200 crore on 72 lakh tonnes of stored potatoes. "If production is even higher this year, a deeper crash is feared," said Subhajit Saha, WBCSA vice-president. Cold storage operators, already facing rising power tariffs, labour costs, maintenance expenses and compliance requirements, warn that without urgent policy intervention, farmers and storage owners would face severe financial strain. At its 61st AGM in Kolkata, WBCSA urged the state to take immediate steps to prevent distress sales and wastage. Saha said. "Without buyer-seller meets and smoother inter-state marketing, there's a risk of large quantities rotting in the fields." "Unless steps are taken to stabilise prices and expand market access, Bengal's record potato output could turn into a burden," said Patit Paban De, former president, WBCSA.