Potato acreage rises due to higher farmer’s remuneration, cheaper seed

Potato cultivation is set to gain acreage by 7-8 per cent in India, second largest producer in the world, as better remuneration in the previous season has exhorted farmers to grow more tubers this Rabi season. Prevailing low price of seed potato and price assistance schemes launched by various states to check distress sale have also driven farmers to increase tuber cultivation in the country.

Potato cultivation is likely to increase by 6-8 per cent in Uttar Pradesh as farmers had earned higher income in potato in 2018 than in the previous year, president, Federation of Cold Storage Association of India (FCSAI) Mahendra Swarup told ET. He said most farmers have earned more in 2018 than in the previous two seasons.