Last Updated on April 22, 2026 8:38 pm by BIZNAMA NEWS
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
A sharp collapse in potato prices across key producing states has triggered widespread distress among farmers, with the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) calling for urgent government intervention, including a legally guaranteed minimum support price (MSP), compensation for losses, and a comprehensive loan waiver.
In a press statement, AIKS said farm-gate prices have plunged to as low as ₹3 per kg in several regions, far below the estimated production cost of ₹15–18 per kg. The crisis spans major potato-producing states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Assam, and Haryana, pushing millions of small and marginal farmers into severe financial distress.
The organisation highlighted that the current government procurement price of around ₹6.5 per kg fails to even cover basic input costs, leaving farmers to incur heavy losses. In Uttar Pradesh, for instance, farmers are reportedly earning far less than their cultivation expenses, while also bearing additional costs of cold storage and transportation.
AIKS attributed the crisis to a combination of policy gaps, export restrictions, and market inefficiencies. In West Bengal, the suspension of potato exports to Bangladesh has led to massive unsold stock and significant financial losses. Meanwhile, in states like Gujarat, disruptions in export markets due to global tensions have further worsened the price crash.
Amid the deepening crisis, farmers’ groups have put forward a series of key demands. Foremost among them is the declaration of a statutory MSP of ₹27 per kg for potatoes, calculated on the basis of input costs, storage, transport, and a reasonable profit margin. They have also demanded immediate government procurement through agencies such as National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) across all potato-growing regions.
Additionally, AIKS has called for full compensation to farmers for losses incurred due to the price crash, including crops that were destroyed or left unsold. A complete waiver of agricultural loans for the 2025–26 season, along with a moratorium on repayments and provision of interest-free credit for the next crop cycle, is also part of the demand charter.
Farmers are further seeking structural reforms, including regulation of cold storage charges, expansion of public storage infrastructure, and a legal guarantee for MSP to protect them from market volatility.
Warning of escalating protests, AIKS said that if the demands are not addressed promptly, it will launch nationwide agitations, including demonstrations and supply disruptions, intensifying pressure on the government to act swiftly.