UP eyes 35% increase in potato production

The govt is giving a final shape to the proposed potato development Policy

Uttar Pradesh is looking to augment potato production by 35 per cent to achieve 18 million tonnes (MT) of produce.

Likewise, potato acreage would be increased by almost 25 per cent to 6,75,000 hectares.

To achieve these ambitious goals, the state government is giving final shape to the proposed UP Potato Development Policy, 2014, aimed at increasing farm income.

The current level of state potato production and acreage stands at 13.3 MT and 5,48,000 hectares, respectively. UP Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani had recently directed officials to speedily formulate the proposed policy.

The government would set up a centre of excellence for potato, while potato farmers would be facilitated to avail of bank credit facilities based on the proposed ‘warehousing receipt system.’

The mandis situated in potato belts would be converted to ‘potato mandis’ to boost inter-state trade. Exhibitions/buyers-sellers meets would also be organised in other states to facilitate tie-ups between local buyers and UP’s potato producers.

Besides, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and state mandi parishad would be roped in for branding of state potato and export promotion.

Training programmes would be organised at the district, block and village levels to disseminate latest technical knowledge about potato cultivation.

The state government had already speeded up efforts to ramp up warehousing capacity by over 1.8 MT under Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) Scheme, 2008, under which UP State Warehousing Corporation (UPSWC) would set up warehousing capacity of almost 1.67 MT, followed by the Food Corporation of India and Central Warehousing Corporation at 1.85 MT and 6,500 tonnes, respectively.

The state needs more cold storage and warehousing capacity for efficient post harvest management of crops and food grain. The lack of proper warehousing leads to colossal wastage of agricultural crops, especially during the agricultural marketing seasons.

At present, there are 1,522 functional cold storages in the state with a combined capacity of about 11.13 MT.

UP has emerged as a hub for fruits and vegetables with compounded annual growth rate of over 15 per cent. The fresh arrival of vegetables to the wholesale markets rose from 2.8 MT in 2008-09 to over 4.3 MT in 2011-12, according to a study by Assocham.

Guava, litchi, mango and pomegranate are leading fruits produced in UP. While, brinjal, cabbage, cauliflower, onion, peas, tomato, potato and sweet potato are the leading vegetables produced in the state. Over 18.5 MT of vegetables are produced in UP annually and the state commands second highest share of 12 per cent out of 150 MT vegetables produced in the country.