The Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) has said that the price of good quality potato is expected to be around Rs.22 to Rs.24 during harvest season.

The numbers are based on the past 19 years’ prices of potato that prevailed in Nilgiris co-operative Marketing Society in Mettupalayam.

This year, the Rabi potato crop was badly affected due to unfavourable climate and the late blight disease that struck many potato-growing states. Keeping this in mind, and anticipating a huge price rise later in the year, the Centre is creating buffer stock.

In India, potato is cultivated in about 20.85 lakh hectares. The total production in 2015-16 was 440 lakh tonnes. It was 460 lakh tonnes in 2014-15. Most of the production is consumed within the country.