Potato

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) popularly known as ‘The king of vegetables’, has emerged as fourth most important food crop in India after rice, wheat and maize. Indian vegetable basket is incomplete without Potato. Because, the dry matter, edible energy and edible protein content of potato makes it nutritionally superior vegetable as well as staple food not only in our country but also throughout the world.

Now, it becomes as an essential part of breakfast, lunch and dinner worldwide. Being a short duration crop, it produces more quantity of dry matter, edible energy and edible protein in lesser duration of time than cereals like rice and wheat. Hence, potato may prove to be a useful tool to achieve the nutritional security of the nation.

It has been observed that during present trend of diversification from cereals to horticultural crops, shifting from wheat / barley cultivation to potato cultivation, returns more to the farmers.

It is believed that potato was a native of Andes in South America and gradually spread throughout the world.

Major Potato Producing Countries

China, Russia, India, USA, Ukraine, Germany and Poland

Major Potato producing states in India

Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Punjab, and Gujarat

Zone wise major commercial varieties

North Western Hills

Kufri Jyoti

Hills of Uttaranchal

Kufri jyoti

North Eastern Hills

Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Giriraj

Southern Hills

Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Swarna

North Central Plains

Kufri Badsah, Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Lavkar, Kufri Bahar, Kufri Chandramukhi, Kufri Chipsona

North Eastern Plains

Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Lalima, Kufri Sindhur

Plateau Region

Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Lavkar, Kufri Chandramukhi