Heavy Rain Slashes UP Chipsona-1 Potato Yields 25%

Chipsona-1 potato prices in Agra mandi dropped 11% week-on-week, from ₹1,520 to ₹1,350 per quintal. Daily arrivals also fell by 37%, from 3,500 to 2,200 quintals. Heavy rainfall led to worse tuber quality, driving both decline in price and supply this week (Times of India, Nov 2025).

Heavy rainfall severely damaged Chipsona-1 crops, especially in Agra and Kannauj. 12,500 hectares reported waterlogging and root rot. Farmers estimate a yield shortfall of 20-25%. Average yields for Chipsona-1 in UP usually range from 170–180 quintals/acre under normal conditions. Past years saw only 10% weather-related yield loss in these districts, according to ICAR (2019). Timely harvesting and good drainage are important for this moderately late-maturing, high-yielding processing variety. With arrivals in Agra mandi now just 2,200 quintals/day, overall market supply has tightened. Cold storage stocks remain lower as farmers reported difficulty shifting and storing damaged produce this week.

Traders and processors report weak demand for rain-affected and low-quality tubers, causing a mandi price dip to ₹1,350/quintal. Chipsona-1’s main buyers are processing firms seeking uniform, healthy tubers for chips. Poor quality reduces their willingness to pay premium rates. However, delayed Punjab harvest is likely to improve demand for UP potatoes in the coming weeks, as per IndianPotato.com (Nov 2025). Retail prices remain steady in Agra (₹20–₹25/kg), supporting farmer optimism if quality improves in future arrivals.

lowest impact: Farrukhabad Mandi, UP, price, minimal price change, smaller rain damage | highest impact: Agra Mandi, UP, price, sharpest drop due to low quality | stable: Aligarh Mandi, UP, arrivals, steady volume due to better drainage

No new state relief scheme announced this week for rain-hit potato growers. Existing government crop insurance under PMFBY covers yield losses from weather but claims can take weeks to process. Affected farmers should immediately notify block-level agriculture officers to initiate survey and claim applications. ICAR and state horticulture officials recommend urgent field-level drainage and fungicide spray post-flooding to save standing crops. Delayed competitor crop from Punjab provides a short window for UP farmers to realize better prices if storage and grading are managed well. Weather risks such as late blight increase post-rainfall—timely plant protection measures are critical.