The Nilgiris : The long wait of the potato cultivators in the Nilgiris district, came to an end on Friday, as the prices of potatoes skyrocketed from Rs. 900 to Rs. 1700 at the auction held in Mettupalayam wholesale market.
The Nilgiris : The long wait of the potato cultivators in the Nilgiris district, came to an end on Friday, as the prices of potatoes skyrocketed from Rs. 900 to Rs. 1700 at the auction held in Mettupalayam wholesale market.
Many vegetables including potatoes from Ooty and nearby areas will be brought to the wholesale vegetable market in MTP where they will be segregated based on quality and size and then despatched to various parts of the State and countries like Srilanka.
Of late, the potato farmers were left in despair after the price of potatoes fell drastically, causing them severe losses. Many farmers in Ooty, Coonoor and Kotagiri quit farming potatoes and switched to cultivating exotic vegetables.
The highest sale price of 45 Kgs of potatoes varied between Rs. 700 to 900. Earlier, around 70 to 80 tonnes of potatoes were unloaded in the Mettupalayam on a daily basis, but recently due to export issues, it got reduced to 10 tonnes.
In this scenario, the rate of potatoes has presently increased to Rs. 1700 to Rs 1800. The hike in prices brought a sense of relief among the farmers. With the onset of monsoon, the farmers are expecting a further rise in price.
If prices stabilise, the farmers from the hill town are planning to increase the cultivation of potatoes in the upcoming season.
Many vegetables including potatoes from Ooty and nearby areas will be brought to the wholesale vegetable market in MTP where they will be segregated based on quality and size and then despatched to various parts of the State and countries like Srilanka.
Of late, the potato farmers were left in despair after the price of potatoes fell drastically, causing them severe losses. Many farmers in Ooty, Coonoor and Kotagiri quit farming potatoes and switched to cultivating exotic vegetables.
The highest sale price of 45 Kgs of potatoes varied between Rs. 700 to 900. Earlier, around 70 to 80 tonnes of potatoes were unloaded in the Mettupalayam on a daily basis, but recently due to export issues, it got reduced to 10 tonnes.
In this scenario, the rate of potatoes has presently increased to Rs. 1700 to Rs 1800. The hike in prices brought a sense of relief among the farmers. With the onset of monsoon, the farmers are expecting a further rise in price.
If prices stabilise, the farmers from the hill town are planning to increase the cultivation of potatoes in the upcoming season.