How a start-up is helping farmers sow seeds for fries, wedges and profits

Utkal Tubers, backed by two PE firms, to sell potato seeds in new areas to create a Rs 100-cr biz

Like many Indian farmers, Bibhu Majhi of Koraput district of Odisha, sows potato between his rabi and kharif crops. He has been trying to increase the yield from his four-acre plot, without much luck. Unlike farmers in Punjab and Haryana, he is unable to access potato seeds in time and has to pay 30-40 per cent more for these.

Within a year or two, though, Majhi will be able to access high-quality, disease-resistant potato seeds at the same prices that farmers pay in Punjab. And, seeds grown in local agro-climatic conditions. 

Enabling this is Utkal Tubers, a Bengaluru-based start-up promoted