New Delhi, June 25 (IANS) The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a proposal from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to establish the International Potato Centre (CIP)’s South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) at Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

The major objective of this investment is to increase food and nutrition security, farmers income, and job creation by improving potato and sweet potato productivity, post-harvest management and value-addition.

The potato sector in India has the potential to generate significant employment opportunities in the production sector, processing sector, packaging, transportation and marketing value chain.

Hence, in order to untap and explore the huge potential in this sector, International Potato Centre’s South Asia regional Centre is being established at Singna, Agra, according to an official statement.

High yielding, nutrient and climate resilient varieties of potato and sweet potato, developed by CSARC, will significantly accelerate the sustainable development of the potato and sweet potato sectors not only in India but in the South Asia region also through world-class science and innovation, the statement explained.

Meanwhile, research is going on in the country to find new uses for potatoes, with IIT BHU developing a method for bio-ethanol production from potato peels, which could help India reduce its reliance on crude oil imports. Scientists are also working on new potato varieties, such as Kufri Neelkanth, which is rich in antioxidants.

India is projected to become the world’s top potato producer by 2050, potentially surpassing China, with annual output reaching 100 million tonnes, according to scientists from the International Potato Center (CIP). Amul is preparing potato seeds in Prayagraj for export to Germany. Uttar Pradesh has exported potatoes to Guyana for the first time.

The potato industry faces challenges related to storage, transportation, and potential pest and disease management as potatoes are increasingly traded globally.

Attention is also being given to improving potato storage to minimise losses and ensure consistent quality.

–IANS

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