Tripura eyes self-sufficiency in potato production

Agartala: Tripura is set to achieve self-sufficiency in potato and potato seed production by 2030, thanks to a range of initiatives spearheaded by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department.Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Friday said the department has signed a groundbreaking agreement with the International Potato Centre (CIP) based in Peru after meeting with CIP’s Director General Simon Heck and Country Manager Niroj Sharma here.Minister Nath noted that there are 23,746 potato farmers in Tripura currently cultivating the crop over 7,622 hectares of land, with an average yield previously recorded at 19.16 MT per hectare. Usually, farmers were dependent on stored potatoes or seeds procured from West Bengal, or Punjab, which is believed to be changed now.These sources often delivered subpar quality, leading to low yields. While efforts were made to introduce True Potato Seeds (TPS), their high costs and the need for skilled labor hindered broader adoption,” explained Nath.The minister shared that Tripura now produces 1.46 lakh MT of potatoes annually, just shy of the 1.55 lakh MT demand. To counter this gap, the state adopted the Epical Rooted Cutting (ERC) technique in 2022-23, receiving Rs 5 crore in support through the Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana (RKBY).“With CIP’s assistance, we are developing technology support, enhancing skills, facilitating certification, and setting up a potato chips processing center. Last year, we distributed seeds and saplings to 104 farmers, increased that to 402 this year, and plan to reach 4,000 farmers under the ERC initiative,” Nath said.Tripura has achieved an outstanding yield of 62.5 MT per hectare, over three times the previous best, with Simon Heck from CIP labeling this achievement as unprecedented. He revealed plans for Tripura to be self-sufficient in potato seeds by FY 2028-29 and entirely self-reliant in potato production by 2029-30.“Once we hit the target, Tripura will not only fulfill its own demands but also export potatoes to neighboring states,” Nath said.