Kolkata: In an unusual turn of events, the retail price of potatoes in Bengal reached a rare parity on Thursday, with both old stocks stored in 475 cold storages across the state and fresh crops from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh being sold at the same price. This development casts a shadow over the fate of Bengal’s cold storage inventory, particularly in districts like Bankura and West Midnapore, which has a daunting stockpile of 3.4 lakh tonnes.
Despite the cold storage gate price of the Jyoti variety remaining steady at Rs 1,200 per 50kg, wholesale rates reached Rs 1,380 per bag or Rs 27.6 per kg in Kolkata. For the new crop, wholesale prices stood at Rs 1,550 per 50-kg bag or Rs 31 per kg, inflated by a long chain of middlemen in the supply chain.
The parity in retail pricing, ranging from Rs 33 to Rs 35 per kg for both old and new stocks, was driven by higher margins demanded for the old stock due to its increased discardable proportion. “The discardable proportion in the old stock rose to nearly 30%, forcing us to keep higher margins. In contrast, the discardable proportion in fresh crops is less than 5%,” said a retailer.
This led consumers to favour fresh potatoes over older stocks, which are now struggling to find buyers. “The fresh crops are flying off the shelves, piling up the old stock,” said Bhola Saha, a retailer in south Kolkata.
The situation raises alarms within Bengal’s cold storages. “People will tend to buy fresh crops if the price difference is negligible,” said Subhasjit Saha, vice-president of the West Bengal Cold Storage Association.
Adding to the crisis, the state govt continues to enforce a ban on potato exports to neighbouring states, limiting avenues for clearing the excess stock. “We are worried about potential damage to the huge stockpile. Cold storages must undergo mandatory maintenance from Jan 1 to mid-March to accommodate the upcoming harvest of Bengal’s fresh crop,” Saha warned.
As the clock ticks, the convergence in prices and consumer preference for fresh potatoes highlight a precarious situation for farmers and traders. The looming losses could further strain Bengal’s agricultural and storage sectors unless swift action is taken. “We are making a fresh appeal to the govt for revoking the ban on supply to neighbouring states,” said potato traders and cold storage association members.
The cold storages in Midnapore and Bankura primarily hold stocks of Pokhraj, K22 and Super-6 potato varieties, which are not commonly consumed by Bengal’s residents. “The staple potato varieties in Bengal are largely limited to Jyoti and Chandramukhi,” explained Lalu Mukherjee of the Pragatishil Aloo Byabsayee Samity.
