India: Storage costs freeze out Indian potato farmers

Alongside the rise in storage cost, small farmers are facing shortage of space as a number of cold store owners have refused to stock the potato yield.

Farmers claimed many cold store owners were purchasing their potato crops at lower prices and that farmers were forced to sell as there was no storage place.

To store the new yield, a number of farmers are being forced to clear their earlier dues for the produce deposited last year. Many farmers did not reclaim their stored potatoes last year due to the prevailing low prices.

The small farmers who have been refused storage are being allowed to store their potato bags in their name, but its receipt is being bought from them by private people — having no link to farming — at a lower price.

Jasvir Singh, president, Cold Store Union, admitted that some dues from last year for the storage remained unpaid, but said, “We heard about the purchase of potato by private people having no link with farming, but no cold store owner is making any purchase. Farmers should complain to us if this is happening. Such deals are being done at the farmers’ own level. The cold store owner will give the yield back only to the one who produces the receipt.”

Farmers are now demanding the re-control of cold stores by the state government.

The Bathinda district contributes about 10 per cent of the total potato produce in the state. This year, the area under potato remained at 6,000 hectares like last year.

There are 31 cold storages in Bathinda district. Out of these, 20 are in Rampura phul sub-division. Rampura accounts for more than 65 per cent of potato growers in Bathinda district.