High prices for Indian potatoes and short rainfall moving farmers away from rice production have spurred expectations of an acreage rise in Uttar Pradesh next year.
Despite a record potato production of about 10.8m tonnes in the state, prices stayed high on the back of poor yields in Bihar and West Bengal, hitting Rs1,400 (US$29) per 100kg, reported the Business Standard.
Combined with the loss of rice paddies from a water shortage, the area under potato production in Uttar Pradesh is expected to increase from its current 527,000ha.
Prices are expected to climb even higher as harvesting in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh is pushed back by hot weather.
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