The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has notified four new potato varieties developed by the ICAR–Central Potato Research Institute for seed production and multiplication across India. Following recommendations from the Central Seed Committee, the varieties Kufri Ratan, Kufri Chipbharat-1, Kufri Chipbharat-2, and Kufri Tejas have been approved for nationwide use as certified seed.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, the notification allows these varieties to be included in formal seed programmes and made available to growers in different potato-producing regions. The releases are intended to support both table potato production and processing requirements.
© ICAR
The four varieties offer different agronomic and end-use characteristics.
Kufri Ratan is a medium-maturing table potato with a crop duration of about 90 days. It is reported to achieve yields of 37 to 39 tonnes per hectare and is suited to the north Indian plains and plateau regions. The variety has red skin, a uniform tuber shape, and storage potential.
Kufri Tejas is also a medium-maturing table variety with a growth period of around 90 days. It is described as heat-tolerant and suitable for cultivation in the Indian plains, including Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Reported yields range from 37 to 40 tonnes per hectare, with storage performance under ambient conditions.
Two of the newly notified varieties target the potato processing segment. Kufri Chipbharat-1 is a medium-maturing variety with a crop duration of around 100 days and reported yields of 35 to 38 tonnes per hectare. It has a dry matter content of about 21 per cent and low reducing sugar levels, attributes required for potato chip production.
Kufri Chipbharat-2 is an early-maturing processing variety with a crop duration of about 90 days and yields reported at 35 to 37 tonnes per hectare. Like Kufri Chipbharat-1, it has high dry matter content and low reducing sugars, with storage characteristics intended to support a steady supply of raw material for processors.
ICAR-CPRI stated that the varieties were developed to address regional growing conditions and market requirements, with an emphasis on yield stability, suitability for processing, and adaptation to different production zones. The notification enables their integration into seed multiplication systems and commercial cultivation across the country.
For more information:
Krishi Bhawan
Indian Council of Agricultural Research
Tel: +91 528 2338 2375
Email: [email protected]
www.icar.org.in
