Lockdown Impact on Wholesale Prices and Market Arrivals of Potato in Punjab: An Analysis

Abstract

The study uses the fixed effect panel model to examine the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on market arrivals and wholesale prices of potato in Punjab. We found that the wholesale prices of potato increased over different phases of the lockdown due to decrease in supply. However, after a sharp increase in potato prices in April, there was a decline due to the easing of restrictions during subsequent phases of the lockdown. In addition, during the lockdown, the arrivals were negatively affected due to the restrictions on inter and intra-state movements. However, improving market infrastructure and strengthening linkages with the market intermediaries may increase markets’ resilience to such disruptions.