Peru-based Potato Center’s technology helps in significant raise of potato production in Tripura: Ratan Nath

With using the technology from a Peru-based research facility -- International Potato Center (CIP), Tripura increased the potato productivity three times more than the earlier average productivity of 3066 kg per 0.39669 acre, said Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath.

In a statement in the state assembly on Friday, the Agriculture minister said that the state government’s Horticulture and Soil Conservation and the CIP has signed a Memorandum of Undertaking (MoU) in January 2023 for transfer of technology to increase the productivity of potato in Tripura.

He said that under the “Better Seed Production of potato Through Apical Rooted Cutting (ARC) Technology” and using the 15.75 MT potato seeds of five varieties, brought from a farm at Kurukshetra in Haryana, 104 farmers cultivated the potato under the new technology in 2023-24.

In 2024-25, 400 farmers cultivated the potato under the CIP technology. The potato productivity increased to 10,000 kg per 0.39669 acre, said Nath. 

He said that using the CIP technology, Tripura is likely to be self-sufficient in potato production by 2028-29.

He told the House that under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the government has been providing all kinds of assistance and guidance to use the CPI technology more and more to increase the potato productivity in the state.

The Minister said that though Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Bihar and West Bengal are the major suppliers of potato seeds in the country, the Kurukshetra (Haryana) based farm is nominated and approved by the CIP.

Nath said that during the princely rule, the then king Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur (1923-1947) encouraged the farmers to start potato cultivation.

In 1988-89, the state Horticulture department introduced a new variety -- True Potato Seeds (TPS) -- to increase potato productivity.

Among all vegetables, potatoes are a staple in Indian cuisine, making them essential in any vegetable-based dish.

While generally affordable throughout the year, high demand for potatoes sometimes leads to shortages that capture media attention.