Potato Price Plunge in West Bengal Sparks Farmer Distress Amid Bumper Harvest
Farmers across several districts in south Bengal are facing a severe economic crisis as a bumper potato harvest has led to distress sales at throwaway prices. The popular Jyoti variety is being sold for as low as Rs 4 to Rs 5 per kilogram at the farm gate, while consumers in Kolkata continue to pay nearly three to four times more, with retail prices ranging from Rs 14 to Rs 19 per kg.
Farmers Forced into Heavy Losses Due to Market Glut
In districts like Hooghly, Bankura, Burdwan, and Nadia, farmers report having little choice but to offload their produce at significant losses. The sharp decline in farm-gate prices is driven by fears of unsold stock accumulating during the ongoing harvesting season. Samir Manna, a potato farmer from Singur in Hooghly district, highlighted the dire situation, stating, "While the production cost of a 50-kg bag is around Rs 400, we are now forced to sell it for Rs 250. We are worried that cold storages will not have enough space to accommodate the entire crop. So farmers are selling quickly to avoid total losses."
Exceptional Weather Conditions Fuel Record Production
This year's crisis stems from exceptionally favourable winter weather, with minimal rainfall during the growing season, which pushed yields to record levels across West Bengal. Conservative estimates place total potato production in the state at around 1.5 crore tonnes, but traders believe output could exceed 1.7 crore tonnes by the end of the harvesting season in April. Production has also been strong in north Bengal, compounding the surplus.
However, the state's domestic consumption is estimated at only about 60 lakh tonnes, leaving a massive surplus that must be managed through storage, transportation to other states, or exports. West Bengal has approximately 580 cold storages with a collective capacity of roughly 75 lakh tonnes, creating a significant storage gap that could expose large volumes to market volatility or spoilage.
Supply Chain Disparities and Historical Losses
The stark price gap between farm-gate and retail markets is attributed to the long chain of intermediaries, locally known as phoreys, who dominate the supply chain. A trader at Kolkata's Posta wholesale market commented, "The bumper harvest is good news for agriculture, but the market cannot absorb such a large quantity immediately. Unless inter-state sales increase, prices will remain under pressure."
The potato industry is still recovering from losses incurred last year. In 2025, the state government announced a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 900 per quintal, but open market prices fell to around Rs 600 per quintal, leading to estimated losses of over Rs 2,200 crore on stored stocks.
Government Response and Future Outlook
State Agriculture Marketing Minister Becharam Manna has urged farmers not to panic, assuring them that the government will procure potatoes at the minimum support price, with priority given to marginal farmers. He emphasized, "There is no need to panic. The govt will procure potato at the minimum support price and marginal farmers will be given priority."
As the harvesting season progresses, the focus remains on finding solutions to bridge the storage capacity gap and enhance inter-state sales to stabilize prices and prevent further financial distress for farmers.
