Problem of plenty: Badal asks Markfed to buy potatoes

Bringing relief to the distressed potato growers in the state,who have been hit by a 15-year-low in the crop's market price,Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has asked Markfed to purchase the produce.

Bringing relief to the distressed potato growers in the state,who have been hit by a 15-year-low in the crop’s market price,Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has asked Markfed to purchase the produce.

Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal said,Now farmers will not have to sell their entire produce to the Mandi Board. With Markfed buying potatoes from mandis,private traders will be forced to pay adequate price to the farmers. The government needs to fix minimum prices for potatoes,onions and garlic. This will,at least,ensure a minimum income to the growers.”

Explaining the current crop crisis,Director,Horticulture,Dr Baldev Singh said,”National potato production has been low for the past three years due to 25-30 per cent of the crop getting damaged– twice due to frost and once because of blight. In such a scenario,demand for potatoes increased and farmers received very good prices. Motivated by the good prices,farmers increased potato production. But because there have not been any natural calamities this year and national production has been steady,the demand for Punjab potatoes in other states remained low.”

Potato is the largest cultivated crop in Punjab with one lakh hectare under it. The state faced similar problem in 1977 and 2001.

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