Pepsico buys potato in UP at windfall prices

The company is also distributing good-quality seeds to the farmers to receive assured supplies of the Chipsona-1 breed of potato next year. Pepsico is a leading snack food company manufacturing potato chips and traditional namkeen, which require this specific breed of potato.

The farmers are upbeat about the offer. Subhash Shukla of Chibbramau near Kannauj, who cultivated potato in his farms, says, "If I had known of this offer, I would not have let my produce rot in the fields."

Rajeev Tandon, who is in charge of the Pepsico centre, told Business Standard that the company was supplying seeds of the Chipsona-1 and Atlantic breed of potato to the farmers to ensure adequate supply next year. The company has a prior agreement with these farmers to buy their produce at pre-determined rates.

The company has currently opened a procurement centre in Kannauj and proposes to open another 11 in the area. Tandon said if the quality of the produce was satisfactory next year, other food manufacturing companies may also join the trade. The demand for these breeds of potato was very high in the country and abroad, he said.

The company has also opened canvassing camps at 12 places in Kannauj District to make farmers aware of better farming practices. Pepsico Agriculture Manager Sushil Sankhiyan said the company was evaluating the response from the peasants and might expand training activities from next year.