Potatoes are a popular vegetable in Indian households, among other staples such as tomatoes, onions, and spinach. Recognising the huge market demand for potatoes, the Indian state government intends to enhance potato production within the state.
The availability of planting materials or seeds, on the other hand, is a key difficulty related with potato growing. These seeds are currently available through the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) in Shimla, as well as vendors in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. This reliance on seeds from other states incurs significant transportation costs, which burden farmers and account for 40-50 percent of total production costs.
The Horticulture department is considering the use of Apical Rooted Cutting (ARC) seed technology to address this issue. The goal of this technology is to create high-quality seeds at a low cost. A 15-member team, including progressive farmers, was sent on a study visit to the International Potato Centre (CIP) and the University of Horticultural Sciences (UHS) in Bengaluru to gather insights and establish an action plan for spreading ARC technology in the State.
The team developed an action plan after touring numerous nurseries, tissue culture labs, and fields. ARC seedlings will be obtained from CIP or other nurseries in Bengaluru and distributed to farmers for free during the Vanakalam (Kharif) season, according to the plan. The tubers that grow from these seeds will be used as seeds in the next Rabi crop season.
At the Centres of Excellence (COE) at Jeedimetla and Mulugu, efforts are being made to construct a mother bed for ARC potato cultivation. Plants grown in this mother bed will be provided at subsidised rates to farmers in Sangareddy, Vikarabad, and Siddipet during the Rabi crop season.
Before marketing ARC technology on a commercial scale in the state, the Horticulture Department would thoroughly analyse its effectiveness during the Kharif and Rabi crop seasons.
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