Farmers face plummeting potato prices amid good harvest

Chikkaballapur

Chikkaballapur, once known for H.D. Deve Gowda's pioneering potato farming, has witnessed a bumper potato yield this season. However, a drastic drop in prices has left farmers in distress. Many are now turning to cold storage facilities, hoping to sell their produce later at better prices.

At Nandi Cold Storage near Chikkaballapur, farmers have arrived with tractors and tempos loaded with potatoes. Typically grown from November to February, potatoes have yielded well this year, but the market price has crashed. Currently, a 50 kg sack of potatoes fetches only ₹600. To avoid further losses, farmers are queuing up at storage units, creating high demand. However, with limited facilities, some potatoes are spoiling under the sun while waiting for storage space. Farmers are urging the government to establish more cold storage facilities.

Similarly, tomato farmers in Basavapatna hobli of Channagiri taluk, Davangere, are facing severe losses. The price of a 25 kg crate, which once sold for ₹250–₹300, has now dropped to just ₹50. Many have abandoned their tomato crops in the fields, unable to bear the losses.

These price fluctuations highlight the urgent need for government intervention and improved infrastructure to support struggling farmers.