Potato growers in Uttar Pradesh are facing growing difficulties because they are not being paid a fair price for their harvested crops. Thousands of farmers from areas such as Kanpur, Kannauj, and Mainpuri complain about the lack of adequate compensation despite their efforts. They appeal to the government for assistance and a solution to their problems.
This region was once renowned for potato production in the country. However, today local farmers are not receiving proper compensation for their harvest. In the district of Kannauj, potatoes were grown on an area of about 55 thousand hectares. Farmers have stored their harvest in 197 cold storage facilities with hope, but market prices have dropped so low that they do not even cover the production costs. Consequently, they are asking the government for help.
Although the government is considering exporting potatoes to farmers, a seminar meeting was organized. At this meeting, potato growers were provided with information on agricultural practices, potato quality standards, and other necessary regulations.
More than 2.18 million metric tons of potatoes were stored in the cold storage facilities, of which about 1.69 million metric tons remain currently. Farmers claim that the current prices are so low that they cannot cover their expenses. They are forced to store the harvest in warehouses.
Farmers note that their problems have worsened to the extent that it has become difficult not only to cover the costs of the harvest but also to pay for the maintenance of the cold storage facilities. Demanding help from the government due to the low cost of potatoes, they insist on receiving a fair price as soon as possible.
On this issue, Akhilesh Yadav, the head of SPA and MP of Kannauj, also criticized the government. He raised the issue on the social network X, questioning whether a price of 1 rupee per potato would lead to a one trillion dollar economy. He called this the result of a deal that is too lenient.
Akhilesh's statement sparked political controversy. Nevertheless, farmers feel that besides the government, they do not know who else to turn to for help. Their main demand is to receive a fair price for the harvest as quickly as possible.

