The Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) has issued a stark warning to the Haryana government, stating that white potato growers are facing a severe financial crisis and are on the verge of ruin. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the union expressed grave concern over the continued slump in potato prices across state mandis and the delayed implementation of the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana (BBY) compensation scheme.
Double Blow for Farmers: Low Prices and Fungal Disease
This season has delivered a harsh double blow to potato cultivators. While market prices have collapsed, farmers are also battling the spread of fungal disease in their standing crops, creating immense anxiety about returns. According to current mandi rates, white potato is selling for a mere Rs 390-510 per quintal, while the red variety fetches between Rs 700-800 per quintal. Market officials attribute the slide to heavy arrivals against stable demand.
The BKU (Charuni) highlighted that the price decline is particularly sharp in markets across Panchkula, Sirsa, Sonipat, Yamunanagar, Ambala, and Kurukshetra district mandis like Pipli, Shahabad, and Babain. Crucially, the union stated that white potato prices have fallen well below the cost of production, rendering cultivation economically unviable.
Flawed Price Assessment and Systemic Hurdles
The farmers' body pointed to a major flaw in the price assessment mechanism. It noted a significant disparity where red and diamond variety potato prices remain relatively higher. "Because mandi averages or modal prices are calculated by combining both varieties, the overall price appears inflated," the union alleged. This practice, they argue, is being used to unjustly exclude white potato farmers from BBY benefits, causing them direct financial loss.
Calling for separate price determination for different potato varieties, the BKU argued that clubbing them to calculate an average is unfair and misleading when the actual sale price of white potatoes is extremely low.
Furthermore, the union flagged serious lapses in the digital procurement system. It claimed that despite the crop's arrival in mandis, verification of farmers' registered produce on the portal remains incomplete. "As a result, quotas are not being issued on the e-procurement portal and online gate passes are not being generated," the letter stated. These hurdles are allegedly forcing farmers to sell their produce at distress prices.
Key Demands and Ultimatum
Listing its demands, the BKU (Charuni) has called for:
- Separate price determination for red, diamond, and white potatoes.
- Calculation of BBY compensation strictly based on actual mandi sale prices.
- Immediate verification of registered potato crops on the government portal.
- Restoration of the online gate pass system by issuing quotas on the e-procurement portal.
- The immediate implementation of the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana.
The union warned that if the government fails to intervene promptly, white potato growers will suffer heavy losses, for which the state administration will be held solely responsible. It further cautioned that failure to address these demands would compel the union to adopt a path of agitation.
On the issue of fungal disease, horticulture specialist Dr. Amit from KVK, Tepla (Ambala), advised that while the situation is currently under control, some cases of early blight have been reported. He recommended farmers use fungicide to protect their yield and advised maintaining adequate watering as fog and cold conditions increase.
