Context:

• Gujarat has become the leading state in processed potato production in India.

Key Points:

Processed Potato Production in Gujarat: 2024-25 Season Report

• In the 2024–25 potato season, Gujarat recorded a total production of 48.59 lakh tonnes of potatoes, including special varieties grown for processed products like French fries and wafers.
• The processed potato segment accounts for over 25% of the total production.

Processing Ratio and Usage

• 60% of processed potatoes are used for wafer production.
• 40% are used for French fries.
• The remaining potatoes are edible varieties like Kufri, suitable for domestic kitchen use.

Progress in Processed Potato Production (2004–2025)

• 2004-05:

• • Area: Only 4,000 hectares
  • Production: Less than 1 lakh tonnes
• 2024-25:

• • Area: 37,000 hectares
  • Production: 11.50 lakh tonnes ➡ Indicates 10-fold increase in production and 9-fold increase in cultivated area.

Major Potato-Producing Districts in Gujarat

1. Banaskantha

• Area (2024–25): 61,016 hectares
• Production: 18.70 lakh tonnes
• Productivity: 30.65 tonnes/hectare
• Previous Years:

• • 2023–24: 52,089 ha – 15.62 lakh tonnes
  • 2022–23: 53,548 ha – 15.79 lakh tonnes

2. Sabarkantha

• Area: 37,999 hectares
• Production: 12.97 lakh tonnes
• Productivity: 34.13 tonnes/hectare

3. Aravalli

• Area: 20,515 hectares
• Production: 6.99 lakh tonnes
• Productivity: 34.05 tonnes/hectare

➡ These three districts together cultivated 1.19 lakh hectares and produced 38 lakh tonnes of potatoes, with an average productivity of 32.36 tonnes/hectare.

Processing-Compatible Potato Varieties and Their Use

• Major varieties grown in Gujarat:

• • Lady Rosetta
  • Kufri Chipsona
  • Santana

Used by:

• • Frozen food processors
  • Quick service restaurants (QSR chains)
  • Exports, especially to Middle Eastern countries

Infrastructure and Supply Chain

• Northern Gujarat districts — Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, and Aravalli — are equipped with modern cold storage facilities.
• This infrastructure supports a robust supply chain for processed potato products.

About Potato:

• Scientific name: Solanum tuberosum)
• Family: Solanaceae
• Significance: 4th most important food crop in India, known as the "King of Vegetables"
• Introduction in India: By Portuguese traders in the 17th century

Soil:

• Best suited: Sandy loam or loam soil with good drainage
• Ideal pH: 5.5 to 7.0

Climate:

• Cool-season crop
• Optimum temperature: 17°C to 19°C

Seeds:

• Use healthy, disease-free seeds sized 25–45 mm
• Seed quality directly affects yield

Major Varieties:

• Kufri Chipsona-5, Kufri Neelkanth, Kufri Himalini, Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Surya, Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Chandramukhi, Kufri Ganga, Kufri Lalima, Kufri Bahar

Major Research Institutions in India:

Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI)

• Location: Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
• Established: 1949 in Patna, moved to Shimla in 1956
• Functions under: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
• 7 Regional Research Centers:

• • Kufri (HP), Modipuram (UP), Jalandhar (Punjab), Gwalior (MP), Patna (Bihar), Shillong (Meghalaya), and Ooty (TN)

International Collaboration:

• International Potato Center (CIP)

• • HQ: Lima, Peru
  • Established: 1971
  • Focus: R&D in potato, sweet potato, and Andean roots/tubers
  • Works under: CGIAR

CIP–India Connection:

• CIP has partnered with ICAR since 1975
• CIP South Asia Regional Center (CSARC) established in Agra, Uttar Pradesh

• • Supports potato breeding, seed production, and climate-resilient varieties
  • Serves India, Nepal, Bangladesh

Summary Table:

Sources:

• ICAR-CPRI international training programs with CIP
• CIP’s official website & CGIAR documents
• News on CSARC establishment in Agra