While the farmers claim that traders’ lobbies are securing greater profit margins and denying them good price, the state agriculture department is clueless over the high retail price for potato despite a surplus production.

While the production cost for a farmer is nearly Rs 3.50 to Rs 4 for each kg of potato, middlemen pay nearly Rs 1 to Rs 1.50 per kg to a farmer. And there is no relief for consumer either, as the retail price of potato varies between Rs 7 to Rs 10 per kg in the city markets.

Durgacharan Das, a potato grower, said, “The state has announced a huge subsidy for transporting potato to other states. But what about us?”

He noted that farmers are being paid half of the production cost. “If the state does not take any step, it will be impossible for us to survive,” Das added.

Bimal Dey, a farmer, said: “We cannot afford the transport cost from fields to markets and therefore succumb to middlemen, who buy the produce at a cheap rate.”

He claimed that they had repeatedly requested the state authorities for reducing the transport cost but to no avail. “Instead, the state is giving subsidy to the middlemen and traders for sending the stock to other states,” he added.

The farmers cannot even store their produce, as most cold storages are located at far-flung areas.

The situation is compounded by the shortage of cold storages in the state. Besides, many storage houses in districts like Hooghly are defunct or used for storing other vegetables.

Notably, while potato production of the state is nearly 80 lakh metric tonnes every year, the storage capacity is only 52 lakh metric tonnes.

The state is yet to finalise an action plan to deal with the situation. Mortaza Hossain, Agriculture Marketing Minister, said: “We have not yet decided on the surplus potato production. We are trying to arrange some incentives for framers. But this is yet to be finalised.”

Patit Paban Dey, vice-president of the All Bengal Cold Storage Association, said: “We have requested the state agriculture marketing department to open potato retail counters in the city. It will eliminate middlemen and will help both the farmers and the consumers.”