Agri Min approves ICAR-CPRI's four potato varieties for nationwide cultivation, processing

Shimla, Sep 8 (PTI) The Union Agriculture Ministry has approved four new potato varieties for agricultural use as quality seed across India based on the Central Seed Committee's recommendations to enhance the country's potato productivity.

These four new potato varieties -- Kufri Ratan, Kufri Chipbharat-1, Kufri Chipbharat-2, and Kufri Tejas -- developed by ICAR's Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) have been approved for seed production and multiplication across the country, an official statement said.

Kufri Ratan, a medium maturing (90 days), high-yielding (37-39 t/ha) red skin table potato variety, is suitable for North Indian plains and plateau regions like Haryana, Punjab, the plains of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. It produces attractive, dark red, ovoid tubers with shallow medium eyes and yellow flesh and has excellent storability.

Kufri Tejas is a heat-tolerant, medium maturing (90 days) and high-yielding (37-40t/ha) variety for table potatoes. It has been notified and recommended for Indian plains, such as Haryana, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, for the early season and for Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, for the main season.

The variety produces white cream, ovoid tubers, shallow eyes, white flesh, and has very good storability under ambient storage conditions.

Kufri Chipbharat-1 is a medium maturing (100 days), high-yielding (35-38t/ha) chip processing variety.

It is recommended for Indian plains such as Haryana, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, MP, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu in the main season. The variety produces white cream, round tubers, shallow eyes, white flesh, high dry matter (21 per cent), and has very good storability under ambient storage conditions. It has an acceptable chip colour and low reducing sugars.

The fourth variety, named Kufri Chipbharat-2, is an early maturing (90 days), high-yielding (35-37t/ha) chip processing potato variety. It has been notified and recommended for Indian plains such as Haryana, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, MP, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu in the main season.

The variety produces white cream, ovoid tubers, shallow-medium eyes, cream flesh, high dry matter (21 per cent), and has very good storability under ambient storage conditions.

The variety has wide adaptability, acceptable chip colour and reducing sugars and will be available through licensing to potato seed producers and processors.

Brajesh Singh, Director, ICAR-CPRI, congratulated the team of scientists for their dedicated and sustained contributions to the farming community and the potato-based industries.

He remarked that the notification of four new varieties marks a significant milestone in strengthening India's potato sector.

"This is not just a scientific achievement but also a moment of celebration for scientists, farmers, and industries alike," CPRI, in a statement, quoted Singh as saying.

Singh further emphasised that the release of these varieties would open new avenues for enhancing potato productivity, improving processing efficiency, and ensuring better returns to farmers, while simultaneously supporting the growth of the potato-based food industry. PTI CORR BAL BAL