Loading of potatoes in West Bengal cold storages has increased by 14 per cent to 74 lakh tonnes as the State’s production of the spud crossed 140 lakh tonnes for 2025-26, the highest in the last five years.

Total production of potato in Bengal, the country’s second largest grower, was around 115 lakh tonnes last year, also a bumper output.

“Total potato production for the State crossed 140 lakh tonnes this year, backed by favourable weather conditions in the potato-growing regions. Moreover, the area under cultivation increased marginally,” Patit Paban De, a senior member of West Bengal Cold Storage Association, told businessline.

Amid a record increase in potato production, loading in cold storages soared to 74 lakh tonnes from 65 lakh tonnes last year.

“More than 95 per cent of the storages are already full. This year mostly farmers have loaded their produce. Trades have not shown much interest in loading in cold storages after they had witnessed a substantial financial loss last year,” De said.

Crash in prices

Last year, wholesale potato prices crashed in Bengal as farmers across the State resorted to distress sales as substantial stocks of the spud remained in cold storage after potato growers and traders had witnessed a massive fall in inter-state trade.

Bengal had lost out in its major potato markets such as Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar to Uttar Pradesh, which has been expanding its inter-State trade aggressively to capture these markets.

According to industry insiders, Uttar Pradesh seized the opportunity to capture markets like Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar in 2024 when the erstwhile Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal had enforced a ban on inter-state trade of the spud after prices shot up in the State significantly.

All curbs lifted

The State government had to lift the ban later after potato growers and traders had staged agitation citing huge financial losses.

The new BJP government in the State has lifted all restrictions on the inter state movement of potatoes, onions, fruits, vegetables, oil seeds, food grains, and other essential products. Prior to the Assembly elections last month, the BJP had promised the farmers to lift these restrictions.

Talking to mediapersons, Bengal minister Dilip Ghosh said, “This time, potato production has been higher, so prices have gone down. The Mamata Banerjee government had stopped potatoes from being sold out of Bengal. Our Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced that potatoes will be sold everywhere. Farmers should get their prices. Discussions are going on regarding this.”

Published on May 15, 2026