India is the second-largest producer of potatoes
Kufri Jamunia, Kufri Bhaskar and Kufri Chipsona-5 (top to bottom)
Potato is a major tuber crop in India. India produces about 50-60 million tonnes of potatoes and is the second largest producer in the world after China.
Given the changing weather conditions, three new potato varieties with high yields and longer shelf life were released in New Delhi on August 11, 2024. These varieties are Kufri Chipsona-5, Kufri Jamunia and Kufri Bhaskar. These varieties have been developed by the Indian government’s Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
Kufri Chipsona-5 is recommended for cultivation in Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Its average yield is 35 tonnes per hectare.
This variety is ready for harvest in 90-100 days. The Kufri Chipsona-5 variety produces creamy white oval tubers and has shallow medium eyes and creamy flesh. It has good storability under ambient conditions.
This variety is suitable for processing (or making chips). It contains more dry tuberous matter and has a lower sugar content. It has moderate resistance to late blight.
Kufri Jamunia variety is recommended for cultivation in Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, plains of Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Odisha, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar.
Dark purple colour is the speciality of this variety. Its tubers are ovoid with shallow eyes and the flesh is purple.
Its average yield is 32-35 tonnes per hectare. It is a medium-maturing variety that is ready for harvest in 90-100 days.
It has high antioxidants (ascorbic acid: 52 mg, carotenoids: 163 ug, anthocyanins: 32 mg per 100 grams fresh weight) in flesh and higher dry tuberous matter suitable for table use. It has good keeping quality.
Kufri Bhaskar has been released for early planting in the plains of Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh and for main planting in the central plains which include Rajasthan, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh.
Kufri Bhaskar Potato is a heat-tolerant variety. It is also tolerant to mite and hopper burn pests.
Its average yield is 30-35 tonnes per hectare. It is an early-medium maturing variety and becomes ready for harvest in 85-90 days.
It has good storability under ambient conditions. Tubers of the Kufri Bhaskar variety are creamy and oval with shallow medium eyes.
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