Approximately 6,000 quintals of potatoes are being exported from Agra to meet demand from hotels and homes in Malaysia, Qatar, and Dubai.
Agra's Chief Development Officer A Manikandan flagged off trucks loaded with potatoes that farmers have been paid Rs 900 per quintal for export potatoes, while the government's procurement price is Rs 650 per quintal. In this situation, exporting potatoes is proving to be a profitable business for these farmers.
According to Kaushal Kishore, Deputy Director Horticulture, Siddhi Vinayak Agro Processing Khandauli (Agra) has exported 6,000 quintals of potatoes abroad in collaboration with the Horticulture Department and the Uttar Pradesh State Horticulture Cooperative Marketing Federation to ensure that potato farmers get the best price for their produce.
Around 3000 quintals of potatoes were sent to Malaysia, and 3000 quintals were sent to Dubai and Qatar. Many trucks carrying potatoes were also transported from Agra to Himmatnagar in Gujarat, where they will be exported to other countries via the Mundra Port. This LR variety potato cost Rs 900 per quintal to export.
According to Vishal Sharma, Vice Chairman of Hindustani Biradari, the time has come for farmers to reduce potato cultivation and focus on growing other vegetables because recovering the cost of potato cultivation at current prices is difficult. If the area under cultivation for potatoes is reduced, the demand for potatoes will rise, as will the price.
Aside from that, advanced potato varieties must be prioritized for cultivation. Because good prices for potatoes in the Indian market are not available, such varieties as those in high demand in foreign countries should be grown, whereas potatoes exported abroad fetch good prices.
