Kannauj district, a major potato-growing region where the crop is cultivated across 50,000 to 55,000 hectares, is experiencing significantly lower cold storage occupancy this year. Despite an increasing number of facilities, reaching 187 units, only about 67.20% of their capacity has been filled as of March 21st, according to the District Horticulture Officer, Sophi Awasthi.
This underutilization stems from a combination of factors affecting the primary crop for many local farmers. Firstly, adverse weather conditions reportedly led to a lower potato yield this season compared to previous years. Secondly, farmers encountered favourable market prices right from the time of harvest. This prompted many to sell their produce directly in the mandis (markets) rather than opting for storage.
The immediate financial incentive proved strong. According to the Horticulture Department data cited, potato prices reached ₹2000 per quintal earlier in 2024, a significant jump compared to ₹920 in 2021, ₹580 in 2022, and ₹900 in 2023. While the current price for white potato stands at around ₹1400 per quintal, the earlier peak encouraged immediate sales. Manimau-area farmer Sanjeev Katiyar noted that due to lower production, prices were good, eliminating the usual rush to secure cold storage space. Farmers, he suggested, stored only essential quantities.
Furthermore, significant demand from outside the district and even internationally has diverted produce that might otherwise have gone into storage. Following storage challenges faced by farmers in the 2022-23 season, Kannauj potatoes found markets in numerous Indian states, including Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
This year, a notable demand has emerged from Nepal. Specific varieties grown in the district, such as Chipsona and Holland, are reportedly popular among Nepali buyers. Potatoes have been dispatched from the district’s specialized potato market to various locations in Nepal, including Sonvarsha, Bhimnagar, Bargania, Malgaon, and even as far as Kathmandu. Traders are actively purchasing potatoes from farmers for export to Nepal, further contributing to the reduced inflow into local cold storage units.
In conclusion, the lower-than-usual occupancy in Kannauj’s cold storage facilities this year is a direct result of reduced crop yield combined with attractive market prices at harvest time, which encouraged farmers to sell immediately. Significant out-of-state sales and ongoing exports, particularly to Nepal, have also played a crucial role in diverting potatoes away from local storage, leaving the district’s 187 cold storage units considerably underfilled.
