Agra to host International Potato Research Centre

Agra

Uttar Pradesh will soon become a major center for potato research and production. The state government has announced the setting up of the International Potato Research Centre in Agra, with Centres of Excellence also planned for Saharanpur and Kushinagar.

The move is part of a wider plan to improve research, seed quality, and innovation in potato farming. An official statement said the new center would make UP a hub for potato research and value-added products. Currently, the state produces over 35% of India's potatoes, with yields higher than the national average of 23–24 tonnes per hectare.

Despite high production, UP faces issues like poor access to high-quality seed and a lack of region-specific research. Many farmers still reuse stored potatoes from cold storage each year, reducing output. The new research centers aim to fix this long-standing problem.

The Agra center will be a branch of the International Potato Institute in Lima, Peru. It will offer improved seed varieties, modern farming methods, and direct benefits to lakhs of farmers in the region.

Most of the state's potato output comes from six divisions in western UP: Meerut, Aligarh, Agra, Kanpur, Bareilly, and Moradabad. Districts like Firozabad, Hathras, Kannauj, Etawah, and Mathura also contribute heavily, with Agra at the heart of the potato belt.

Experts say the center will train farmers to grow heat-resistant varieties with higher yields. New seeds like Kufri Neelkanth and Kufri Shaurya are in demand but hard to find. These centers aim to solve such supply issues, boosting income for farmers across UP.