POST HARVEST PROFILE OF POTATO - Agmarknet

10.0 DO'S & DON’TS :DO’S Harvest the crop, when the weather isdry.Stop irrigation two weeks beforedehaulming.Avoid bruising and skinning of tubersduring harvesting. Dry the harvested tubers in storageshade. Separate the damaged and diseasedtubers before storing. Store always the matured tubers.Store potatoes at 2-4 degree centigradein cold store for the purpose ofpreventing sprouting.Use sprout inhibitors (e.g., CIPC) tostore potatoes at 10-12 degreecentigrade in cold store.Grade the potatoes manually ormechanically before marketing. Sale potato to the co-operative society,nearest procurement centers ofNational Agricultural Co-opt MarketingFederation (NAFED)/ other agencies orat regulated markets for getting betterpricesAvail benefit of contract farming withany agency to ensure better marketingof the produce.Get the market information on potatoregularly from newspaper, T,V,concerned APMC offices, websites ofdifferent organizations namelyAgmarknet website. Avail the system of future trading toavoid price risk arising due to widefluctuation in commodity prices. Contact the Central Potato ResearchInstitute (CPRI),Shimla(H.P.) foravailing the procedure of phytosanitarymeasure for export of potatoes.DON’TS Harvest the crop, when the weather is moist. Continue irrigation two weeks beforedehaulming. Neglect bruising and skinning of tubersduring harvesting. Dry the harvested tubers in sun. Mix the damaged and diseased tubersbefore storing. Store the matured tubers with immaturetubers. Store potatoes above 2-4 degree centigradein cold store for the purpose of preventingsprouting. Store potatoes at 10-12 degree centigradein cold store without using sprout inhibitors(e.g, CIPC). Market the potatoes without grading eithermanually or mechanically. Sale the produce to local traders or itinerantmerchants at low prices. Produce potatoes without assessing &assuring it’s market demand for that year. Sell potatoes without collecting/ verifyingany marketing information. Sell the produce at fluctuating prices or inglut situation. Export potatoes without any phytosanitarymeasure.66