THE POTATO KING WHO CHANGED MEHSANA

Haresh Karamchandani turned north Gujarat into an export powerhouse for processed potatoes

- Sayantan Bera

Caption: Clockwise from left: Haresh Karamchandani, the chief executive officer and managing director of HyFun Foods; a french fries processing line the company operates at Ganeshpura, Mehsana; harvesting of potatoes in progress at a farm.

(SECOND IMAGE BY SANJAYAN BERA)

Can one make a fortune growing or selling potatoes? The question may appear as one loaded with irony to a farmer from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal or Bihar, the top producers of the tuber in India. In these states, low prices often push growers to abandon their harvest by the roadside. Or plough the spuds back into the field. This happens once every few years when a record harvest pulls down prices to rock bottom levels, even lower than growing and harvesting costs.

Alpesh Navinbhai Patel, a potato grower from Sabarkantha district ofnorth Gujarat, has a different story to tell. Five years back, Patel switched to growing a processing variety of potato, the onesused tomake french fries and hash browns. In March this year, Patel earned more than ₹50 lakh selling potatoes grown in 180 acres, net ofall costs, including the rent on 80 acres of leased land. That’sajaw dropping income for a farmer in India where the average farm household earns less than ₹20,000 amonth.

Howdidthishappen? Patel grows Santana potato, a light-skinned oblong variety from the Netherlands, with a creamy yellow flesh, perfect for making french fries. These are grown under a contract and supervision ofa processing facility and exporter based out of Mehsana in Gujarat. The company provides Patel with the seeds, the technical knowhow and an assured price before planting. In 2025, this guaranteed price was ₹13.5 per kg against the production cost of ₹7-8 per kg. With no price risks to worry about, Patel devotes his energy to produce the best quality tuber.