Farrukhabad Potato Farmers to Protest on September 7, Demanding Policy

Farmers Demand Effective Potato Policy Amidst Losses

Farmers, cold storage owners, potato traders, commission agents, and potato exporters in Farrukhabad have jointly demanded that the government immediately formulate an effective potato policy. This demand stems from the severe problems and continuous losses faced by potato farmers in Sanatanpur, Farrukhabad, which is home to one of Asia's largest potato markets.

During a crucial meeting, all parties emphasized the need to take strong steps to protect the interests of farmers. Several key demands were put forth to address the ongoing crisis.

Key Demands Outlined by Stakeholders

Until a new and comprehensive potato policy is established, the government has been urged to directly cover the storage charges for potatoes held in cold storage. Additionally, a demand was made for the immediate abolition of mandi fees (market tax) levied on potatoes to alleviate the financial burden on farmers.

Minimum Price and Compensation for Potato Varieties

To ensure fair prices for their produce, the meeting proposed setting minimum prices for various potato varieties. The proposal includes a minimum price of ₹1000 per quintal for hybrid potatoes and ₹1500 per quintal for processing varieties like Chipsona, Holland, and 3797. This is expected to help farmers cover their cultivation costs and make a profit.

Furthermore, a demand was raised for the government to compensate farmers for the difference in price in cases of unforeseen losses. There was also a prominent call for complete exemption on train fares for sending potatoes to other states or for export, and to increase the subsidy for road transport of potato exports from the current 25% to 50%.

Statewide Movement Announced: Protest on September 7

A statewide potato movement has been announced to press these demands. On September 7, farmers, traders, cold storage owners, and commission agents will gather at the Fatehgarh Collectorate for a peaceful protest. During this demonstration, farmers plan to wear garlands made of potatoes to express their plight and draw the government's attention to their problems.

“Whenever potatoes become expensive, leaders of political parties wear garlands of potatoes and onions to protest. But today, the farmer is going through a period of ruin, and the government is not taking the farmers' problems seriously. Now, farmers themselves will wear garlands of potatoes to demonstrate their destruction and intensify the movement to get their demands met,” said Ajay Anmol, State President of the Farmers' Movement.

He further stated that this movement will take place at the Farrukhabad Fatehgarh Collectorate on September 7, 2026, followed by protests in other districts, culminating in a large-scale protest in the capital, Lucknow. He assured that the protest would continue until all farmers' demands are met.

Concerns of Traders and Cold Storage Owners

Ashok Katiyar, State In-charge of the Farmers' Movement, urged the government to take the protest seriously and address the problems of farmers and potato traders immediately. Sudhir Kumar Shukla, a potato exporter and program coordinator, clarified that the struggle would continue until the demands are met.

Manoj Kumar Rastogi, General Secretary of the Cold Storage Association, expressed deep concern over the current situation, stating that such a dire situation for potatoes, impacting farmers and cold storage owners, has never been witnessed before. He warned that if farmers' demands are not met, they will be on the brink of starvation, and all associated businesses, including potato-related cold storages, will be severely affected and shut down.

Economic Impact and Appeal for Resolution

Sarvesh Agarwal, President of the Vyapar Mandal, and senior official Subhash Bansal highlighted the economic landscape of Farrukhabad, stating that the district's economy is entirely dependent on potatoes. The current low prices of potatoes are clearly impacting the market with a slowdown. They jointly appealed to the government to fulfill the raised demands as soon as possible to save the local economy.

Future Strategy and Public Meetings

The meeting was attended by a large number of farmer leaders, traders, and cold storage owners, including potato commission agent and farmer leader Arvind Rajput, Surendra Singh Pal, Ajay Rajput, Ramlalete, Purushottam, Bandhelal Verma, Harsh Singh, Virendra Dixit, Devkinandan, Manoj Rajput, and Avinash Kushwaha, Praveen Kumar Katiyar. The program was presided over by Radhelal Rajput.

Ashok Katiyar, State In-charge, also informed that as part of the next phase of the movement, important public meetings of farmers will be held on August 21, 2026, at 11 AM in Kamauj, Kapurpur, Manikmajra, and Bankoti in Bilhaur. These meetings will include detailed discussions on the outline of the movement.