Late blight resistant potato variety gaining popularity in Bangladesh
Potato growers can get 38-42 percent more output at considerably (20 percent) lower costs by cultivating the late blight resistant potato variety Sarpo Mira, they said.
Giant Agro Processing Ltd (GAPL), a sister concern of Giant Group, imported and developed the seeds for local farmers, said its officials in a recent field visit in Thakurgaon.
After trials by the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), two varieties -- Sarpo Mira (BARI Alu-77) and Folva -- were approved by the government of Bangladesh, said Business Development Manager of Giant Agro Processing Ltd ATM, Majharul Mannan.
Chairman of Giant Group Feroz M Hassan said the fungal infection called 'late blight' wreaks havoc on potato production each year and sometimes farmers lose 25 to 57 percent of their yield.
“These Danish varieties will save farmers' money which they could have used for spraying fungicides," Feroz M Hassan, Chairman of the Giant Group said.
source: potatopro.com
