Cold weather takes toll on potato harvest in India

India’s potato production in 2007-08 is likely to grow by half its earlier estimate on account of crop damage due to a cold wave in the north, home to the biggest producing regions, a senior official said.

“Area has increased in almost all major producing states. Crop was damaged due to cold wave condition in northern states, but despite that we will see a rise in production,” Satish Bhonde, additional director, National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation (NHRDF), told media persons on Wednesday.

Production estimated for the year was 29.7 million tonne, up 10% from last year’s 27 million tonne. However, revised production for the year is 28.2 million tonne, still up 4.5% from the year ago, Mr Bhonde said. The state-run research institute, NHRDF, monitors onion and potato crop in the country, besides developing new varieties of horticultural crops.