Uttar Pradesh, India’s potato powerhouse, is facing a stark reality this year. Reports emanating from the heart of the state’s potato belt indicate a substantial drop in potato production compared to the previous season, raising concerns about supply and potential price hikes.
Uttar Pradesh’s contribution to India’s total potato output is massive. With the state accounting for a remarkable 33.46% of the nation’s potato harvest, this shortfall is poised to have nationwide repercussions. To put this into perspective, Uttar Pradesh alone produces 20.1 million tonnes of potatoes out of India’s total 60.1 million tonnes.
The situation is particularly worrisome in key potato-growing districts like Kannauj, Mainpuri, Farrukhabad, Sirsaganj, Agra, Firozabad, Shikohabad, Fatehabad and surrounding areas. Farmers in these regions are reporting a noticeable decline in yields. Notably, Uttar Pradesh is renowned for its production of the Kufri Bahar variety, also known as 3797 potato, though the state cultivates numerous other table and processing potato varieties.
The Diminished Yield
The anecdotal evidence from the ground paints a clear picture of distress. One farmer, speaking from Mainpuri, conveyed the extent of the problem, stating that he generally sends his produce to a leading potato coild store in Jaswant Nagar and this year he had stored 2,000 bags of potatoes, The cold store was barely half full, with only fews days left in the harvest season. The severity of the drop in production can be gauged from the Kufri Bahar variety, which typically yields 60 bags per bigha, now producing only 40-45 bags per bigha.
Furthermore, processing varieties, specifically those promoted by chip-manufacturing companies, have also taken a hit. Where farmers were expecting 13 tonnes per acre, they are now barely managing 7-8 tonnes per acre. This is a severe setback for both farmers and the processing industry.
Farmers and experts are having the similar opinion from many areas of Uttar Pradesh
The Culprit: Climate Change
Experts attribute the primary cause of this diminished yield to the unusually high temperatures experienced during the planting season in mid-October. Temperatures hovered around 35 degrees Celsius, creating unfavorable conditions for potato cultivation. The high heat had a devastating effect, particularly on processing varieties like Santana, which, when planted as cut tubers, succumbed to rot.
Even those crops planted later, around mid-November, faced their own set of challenges. While tuberization, the formation of tubers, was robust, the size of the tubers was significantly compromised. This year, a variety like Santana, saw up to 10 tubers per plant, but failed to develop them to their full size.
A stark contrast emerges when comparing Uttar Pradesh with areas closer to Uttarakhand. These areas, which experienced more optimal temperatures, witnessed healthy potato yields. This observation reinforces the effect which temperature might have induced in potato cultivation.
Implications and Future Outlook
The reduced potato output in Uttar Pradesh could lead to a ripple effect, impacting prices and availability across the country. As a major producer, any fluctuation in Uttar Pradesh’s harvest directly affects the national market.
