The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore, has advised potato growers to sell the crop on harvest as prospects for a price spiral are bleak.
In a release, the University said at the Mettupalayam auction centre, a bag of potato weighing 45 kg fetched Rs 700 to Rs 950. The centre was also receiving potatoes in large quantities from Hassan and Kolar in Karnataka.
In response to farmers’ queries as to whether the potato crop to be harvested from November would fetch a higher price, the Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell of TNAU analysed data at the Nilgiris Cooperative Marketing Society (NCMS) in Mettupalayam in Coimbatore district over the past 22 years. The study showed that the price would rule around Rs 750 to Rs 1,000 per bag of 45 kg from the current month to January and the best quality tubers would fetch the maximum price.
As there was little chance of prices going up in the next three months, the "farmers have been advised to sell potato upon harvest", TNAU said.