Chetan Padhiar, a potato farmer from Deesa in North Gujarat has faced all those losses that other potato growers in the country had to bear when prices slumped to a record low of less than a rupee for a kg.

“In the past four years, potato prices have remained low due to over-production. Farmers experiment with new varieties and believe that their variety may be absorbed by processors at higher prices. But eventually, they end up flooding the market with their rejected potato, causing prices to tumble,” Padhiar told Businesline , who was attending the 3rd Global Potato Conclave 2020 being held in Gandhinagar on January 28-30.

Padhiar grows table potato (used for household consumption) variety on his 100 acres of land. “I'll first watch other farmers succeed in processing variety of potatos before venturing into it,” he said. The concerns, according to farmers, are on two fronts. One is the availability of quality seeds and second the controlled production that qualifies the test of the processors.

The challenges, as experts believe, are the lack of initiatives among farmers on adoption of new seeds, cooperation among farmers and storage infrastructure and processors. When farmers are looking for better price realisation from their crops, there is need for high-yielding and nutrition-rich seeds.

Focus on seeds

The seeds market in India is one of the most promising as the sector now looks at new hybrids for the world’s third largest staple crop after rice and wheat. On the seed research front, Pim Lindhout, Head of Research at Solynta, a Dutch potato seed breeding company, stated that in the coming decade, the focus of research would be on developing hybrids.

“There is this also several new technologies, including one on potato seedlings, that is being developed. This is required because the seeds are very small and sensitive and the environment at times gets too harsh,” he said.

“Over the years, India apart from China has emerged self-sufficient in seeds. Indian potato seed market size is estimated at 5 million tonnes. The market for high-quality seed is relatively small. So there is a big opportunity for seed players,” said Sachid Madan, Chief Executive, Fresh F&V & Frozen Business, ITC.

Agricultural Counsellor of the Embassy of the Netherlands in India Siebe Schuur, who led a delegation of Dutch companies and R&D experts, commented on India’s ability to achieve better yields. “If you mange the challenge of climate change properly and if you manage the issue of mutual trust (between farmers and processors) properly, then India has the potential to become the food factory of the world,” Schuur said.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW