Nilgiris potatoes fetch high profit

Ooty, Dec. 25: The potato growers in Nilgiris are on song as the hill potatoes continue to fetch good price at the auction thus giving hope to the potato farmers to go in for more cultivation in future.

The positive trend in the potato price has not failed to bring cheers to the potato growers, who despite facing various hurdles in taking up potato cultivation, are steadfast in continuing with the potatoes here which are known for their premium quality and taste.

At the auction centres at Metupalayam, which is the main potato trading centre, a bag of potato containing 45 kg is now being auctioned for a price ranging from Rs 800 to Rs 900 which is almost double the normal auction price which is around Rs 450 per bag.

Is there a sudden demand for the Nilgiri grown potatoes or there has been slump in the potato yield which eventually effected the price rise? Mr B. Krishna-moorthy, president of the Nilgiris potato and vegetable growers’ association said that the area under potato cultivation in this hill district has drastically come down over the years and now potato is cultivated in around 10,000 acres. Out of which only in 5,000 acres the potato cultivation is active round the year.

The rain havoc in Karnataka during the monsoon has certainly resulted in the decline in the potato yield in Hassan belt of Karanataka, which usually pose stiff competition to the Nilgiri potatoes in the auction. With the less arrival of potatoes from Karnataka, naturally the demand for the Nilgiri potatoes has increased. As the western parts of the Nilgiris were not much affected by the recent rains, the potato yield is good now.