10,000 tonne Punjab potatoes for Europe

Farmers in Punjab in association with Markfed are gearing up to export 10,000 metric tonne of potatoes to the European nations and tap on Pakistan’s decision of duty-free import of the crop. "Jalandhar Potato Growers Association has already signed an agreement with Markfed, Punjab to export potatoes and potato seeds to European countries," association Secretary Jaswinder Singh Sangha said here on Tuesday.
Over 150 ‘Eeurepgap certificate holder’ farmers have already started production to match their crop with the European standards. Exports to Europe would fetch five times more the price in India as selling price of potato here was just Rs 2 per kg as compared to Rs 10 per kg export price, Mr Sangha claimed. "With the decision of Pakistan for allowing duty-free import of potatoes, we are ready to export our produce
to that country also. Markfed has already initiated the process," Mr Sangha added. Markfed, the coalition partner of the association, would do marketing of the product apart from providing training to the farmers regarding seed treatment and supply system to improve the quality of the crop, he added.
Last year as many as 50 members of the association applied for Eurepgap certification and after getting success in yielding excellent crop 100 more members joined it, he said.