Market
12 December 2025
22 views
Source:Amar Ujala/Team Potato Bazaar
Bumper Potato Harvest Crashes Prices in UP, Farmers Face Deep Losses
Bumper Potato Harvest Crashes Prices in UP, Farmers Face Deep Losses
Bumper Potato Harvest Crashes Prices in UP, Farmers Face Deep Losses
LUCKNOW – Potato farmers in Uttar Pradesh are facing a severe financial crisis as bumper production within the state and neighboring regions has led to a sharp crash in wholesale prices. With markets flooded by both new harvests and leftover cold storage stock, prices have plummeted well below the cost of production, leaving farmers struggling to recover their investments.
Production Surplus and Stalled Exports The 2024-25 season saw Uttar Pradesh produce approximately 245 lakh metric tons of potatoes, with nearly 150 lakh metric tons stored in over 2,200 cold storages. However, simultaneous bumper crops in traditionally potato-deficit states like West Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh have choked external demand. Consequently, shipments to West Bengal, Assam, and Nepal have dropped significantly. Furthermore, exports to Pakistan from the Agra region reportedly did not materialize this year, exacerbating the local surplus.
Prices Plummet Below Cost The oversupply has triggered a drastic price correction. While the average wholesale price in November 2024 was ₹2,122 per quintal, it fell to ₹1,274 in November 2025. Currently, wholesale rates in key mandis like Farrukhabad, Hathras, and Kannauj hover between ₹840 and ₹950 per quintal.
This creates a math of insolvency for farmers. Stored potatoes incur costs exceeding ₹1,500 per quintal—including cold storage rent (₹250), sacks (₹100), and transport. Selling at current rates of ₹1,000 or less implies a heavy loss per quintal.
Storage Crisis and Farmer Distress Compounding the issue is the backlog of "old" potatoes. Cold storages, typically cleared by October 31, were allowed to operate until November 30, yet roughly 10% of stock remains in hubs like Agra and Firozabad.
Farmers are citing a "double loss" scenario. Arun Singh, a progressive farmer from Firozabad, noted that many bought seeds at premium rates of ₹2,500–₹3,000 per quintal, only to sell the yield at a fraction of that cost. Meanwhile, farmers in Purvanchal are calling for the establishment of local processing units to absorb surplus produce in the future.
State horticulture officials have ordered immediate inspections of cold storages to assess the remaining stock and formulate a strategy to stabilize the market.
LUCKNOW – Potato farmers in Uttar Pradesh are facing a severe financial crisis as bumper production within the state and neighboring regions has led to a sharp crash in wholesale prices. With markets flooded by both new harvests and leftover cold storage stock, prices have plummeted well below the cost of production, leaving farmers struggling to recover their investments.
Production Surplus and Stalled Exports The 2024-25 season saw Uttar Pradesh produce approximately 245 lakh metric tons of potatoes, with nearly 150 lakh metric tons stored in over 2,200 cold storages. However, simultaneous bumper crops in traditionally potato-deficit states like West Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, and Madhya Pradesh have choked external demand. Consequently, shipments to West Bengal, Assam, and Nepal have dropped significantly. Furthermore, exports to Pakistan from the Agra region reportedly did not materialize this year, exacerbating the local surplus.
Prices Plummet Below Cost The oversupply has triggered a drastic price correction. While the average wholesale price in November 2024 was ₹2,122 per quintal, it fell to ₹1,274 in November 2025. Currently, wholesale rates in key mandis like Farrukhabad, Hathras, and Kannauj hover between ₹840 and ₹950 per quintal.
This creates a math of insolvency for farmers. Stored potatoes incur costs exceeding ₹1,500 per quintal—including cold storage rent (₹250), sacks (₹100), and transport. Selling at current rates of ₹1,000 or less implies a heavy loss per quintal.
Storage Crisis and Farmer Distress Compounding the issue is the backlog of "old" potatoes. Cold storages, typically cleared by October 31, were allowed to operate until November 30, yet roughly 10% of stock remains in hubs like Agra and Firozabad.
Farmers are citing a "double loss" scenario. Arun Singh, a progressive farmer from Firozabad, noted that many bought seeds at premium rates of ₹2,500–₹3,000 per quintal, only to sell the yield at a fraction of that cost. Meanwhile, farmers in Purvanchal are calling for the establishment of local processing units to absorb surplus produce in the future.
State horticulture officials have ordered immediate inspections of cold storages to assess the remaining stock and formulate a strategy to stabilize the market.
Potato Prices UP