: Potato growers in Punjab are facing a fresh increase in cultivation costs after fertiliser companies raised the price of potash fertiliser by ₹800 per quintal ahead of the potato sowing season.
The price of a 50-kg bag of potash, which was available for ₹1,800 in September 2025, has now increased to ₹2,200. The sharp rise comes at a time when farmers are preparing their fields for potato cultivation after the paddy harvest, adding to concerns over rising input costs.
Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala are traditionally known for potato cultivation. However, potato farming has also expanded significantly across several parts of the Malwa region in recent years. Large-scale potato sowing is also carried out in the Rampura area of Bathinda district.
With potato planting scheduled to begin after the paddy harvest, the increase in potash prices is expected to put additional financial pressure on farmers in these areas.
Potash is not used only for potato cultivation. It is also widely applied in the cultivation of several green vegetables. Therefore, the higher price of the fertiliser could also affect vegetable growers. Farmers are already dealing with rising costs of diesel, seeds, pesticides and other agricultural inputs, making the cultivation of potatoes and vegetables increasingly expensive.
Second price hike in a month
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal Tikait) state general secretary Saroop Singh Rama has opposed the increase in potash fertiliser prices. He said that about a month ago, the price of NPK fertiliser grade 12:32:16 had also been increased by ₹1,100 per quintal.
According to Rama, the latest increase in potash prices will further add to farmers' cultivation expenses. He said farmers across the country use around 4 million tonnes of potash fertiliser.
Rama has urged the Central Government to increase the subsidy on fertilisers so that farmers can get some relief from the rising cost of agricultural inputs.