According to sources in the state agriculture production commission, after the destruction of the crop by inclement weather last winter and subsequent damage by the rcent cyclonic rains in the districts of Farukhabad and Kannuaj, the main potato growing districts in the state, the spectre of scarcity had started looming large and prices had started skyrocketting touching the Rs 800 per quintal mark in the recent past.

The fact that potato production had showed a sharp decline of 35 per cent following the patch of bad weather in November-December last year and the recent15-20 per cent destruction of the newly-sown potato seed on account of sudden cyclonic conditions had sent alarm bells ringing both in the state agriculture department as well as the ministry of agriculture in Delhi which depends heavily on the state for potato supplies. After the onion debacle, a bad potato harvest coupled with soaring prices could well have plunged the government into yet another crisis.

However, an unexpectedly good mid-variety of the crop has brought about a dramatic change to the entire scenario and from the spectre of scarcity the state government is now facing the prospect of a problem of plenty. While the initial consignments of the crop are expected to arrive in the mandis and local markets by December 10, state government horticulturists expect heavy supplies to pour in during January and February. "This will result in the price of potatoes crashing in the markets to as low as Rs 200 per quintal," said an official of the state horticulture department.

Anticipating the potatoglut in the state, the agriculture department is busy trying to work out a scheme of price support to save the interests of the farmers as well as avert the prospect of distress sale of their product. It is in view of this that the centre's announcement of considering minimum price support for potatoes is being widely hailed in the state which is among the largest producers of potatoes in thecountry.

It may be recalled that the state had produced a record potato harvest in 1995-96 breaching the 96 lakh tonne mark as against the average annual production of 60-70 lakh tonnes. That year not only had the prices of commodity crashed to an all-time low of Rs 70 per quintal but large quantities of the crop had been left to rot due to acute shortage of storage capacity. While the state has a total 1,060 cold storages with a capacity of 50.43 lakh tonnes, 224 of these are non-functional which has reduced the total storage capacity considerably. "The existing storage capacity available in the state is not evenadequate for half the potato production in case we have a bumper harvest of around 90 lakh tonnes," cautioned an official of the agriculture department.