Potato Review

36 POTATO REVIEW NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 INTERNATIONAL NEWS NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE More than 64,000 tons of potatoes processed in the Moscow region THE Moscow region was the leader in potato processing in the Russian Federation in the first half of this year, according to the country’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Andrei Razin. Andrei said: “According to the results of six months of this year, the Moscow region ranks first in the country in potato processing with a volume of more than 64 thousand tons.” “Next comes the Lipetsk region with a processing volume of 27,7 thousand tons of potatoes.” The processing market structure includes cooked and canned potatoes, cut and frozen, fried or dried. Potatoes are processed into starch, flakes, granules, and also slices and chips. Andrei added: “In total, 14 main enterprises of various organizational and legal forms carry out their activities in the processing of potatoes on the territory of the Moscow Region.” “The total capacity allows processing 170 thousand tons of products per year and producing potato chips and mashed potatoes, as well as various semi-finished products from potatoes.” The minister added that there is a tendency to increase the volume of potato processing in the Moscow region. Prices expected to stay high DECREASED supplies of potatoes at the Azadpur fruits and vegetable market in recent months, along with an increased demand in the coming Navratri festive season, are expected to keep potato prices high in New Delhi for the immediate future. Those consuming potatoes during fasts on Navratri days are likely to bear the brunt of the higher prices. Prices are expected to fall after the new crop is harvested and starts arriving in markets from December onwards For the last few days, wholesale prices of potatoes are hovering between Rs 12 and Rs 51 per kg in Azadpur mandi while it retails for between Rs 40 and 50 per kg in India’s National Capital Region. Special quality potatoes are priced even higher. In the hope of getting more prices, farmers have invested in potato cultivation despite inflation. Sowing of potatoes has started in north India. According to Dr Manoj Kumar, Executive Director of Shimla’s Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), during the Rabi season, the sowing of potatoes usually starts in late September and lasts till November. Harvesting of potatoes occurs between December and March. However, traders said that the potato crop might start arriving in late November. According to the second advance production data released by the Ministry of Agriculture, cultivation of potatoes in the country during 2019-20 was 513 lakh tonnes as against 501.9 lakh tonnes in 2018-19. During the corona-induced lockdown, a decline in the consumption of vegetables was observed as hotels, restaurants, dhabas etc remained closed for four to five months. Exports hike up prices, traders claim POTATO prices in West Bengal are currently ruling high at Rs 32-33 a kg as 15-20% of daily supply of the commodity is being exported to neighbouring states, traders have claimed. They say if exports are stopped, the prices will come down by around Rs 4-5 per kg. They also claimed that the amendment to the Essential Commodities Act has a role in keeping potato prices firm, despite the state government’s e¤orts to bring it down. The state government has issued an ultimatum to potato traders to bring down the wholesale price to Rs 22 a kg and warned of action if retailers are found selling the tuber above Rs 27 a kg. The Jyoti variety of potato is currently still being sold at Rs 32-3. According to the state government o¦cial, the gap between potato prices at cold storage and the retail market should not be more than Rs 5 per kg.