ITC's Technico Expands Aeroponic Potato Seed Facility to 100 million Mini-Tuber Capacity

ITC Limited is strengthening its agricultural business through investments in advanced seed technology, biological extracts, and value-added agriculture. As part of this strategy, its wholly owned subsidiary Technico is expanding its aeroponic potato seed production facility by adding 60 controlled-environment greenhouses, increasing its total production capacity to 100 million TECHNITUBER potato mini-tubers.

The expansion was announced by ITC Chairman Sanjiv Puri during the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2026. He highlighted that the investment comes at a time when climate change, food security concerns, and the need for sustainable agricultural practices are influencing global food production systems.

Technico Expands Aeroponic Potato Seed Production Capacity

Technico specializes in producing pre-basic potato seeds using advanced aeroponic technology. The expanded facility will increase the availability of disease-free TECHNITUBER potato mini-tubers, which are used as high-quality planting material for seed potato multiplication and commercial potato cultivation. 

According to the company, the increased production capacity will help improve access to healthy seed potatoes, support higher crop productivity, and strengthen the potato value chain by providing reliable planting material to growers. 

Sanjiv Puri emphasized that strong seed systems are essential for improving agricultural productivity, crop quality, climate resilience, nutritional security, and farmer incomes. He said investments in modern seed technologies will help farmers adapt to changing climatic conditions while meeting future food production requirements.

ITC Advances Agricultural Research Through Breeding and Digital Technologies

Alongside its seed production expansion, ITC is strengthening agricultural research through its Life Sciences and Technology Centre (LSTC). The company is using advanced breeding technologies, molecular genetics, and digital tools to develop improved crop varieties across multiple crops, including potato, wheat, tobacco, eucalyptus, and subabul. 

ITC reported that these research initiatives have contributed to yield improvements ranging from 15% to 50%, demonstrating the impact of scientific innovation on agricultural productivity. 

The company has also commissioned a US FDA-compliant nicotine derivative processing facility to serve export markets in Europe, the United States, and South Korea. 

In addition, ITC is expanding its work in medicinal and aromatic plants by developing improved varieties, botanical extracts, and specialized formulations for domestic and international markets. The company is also supporting farmers through cultivation training programmes to encourage adoption of high-value crops.

ITC Expands Value-Added Agriculture and Digital Farming Platforms

Value-added agriculture continues to be a key focus area of ITC’s agri-business strategy. According to Sanjiv Puri, the portfolio has achieved a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 33% over the past five years.

The company’s value-added agriculture portfolio includes:

• Certified organic crops 
• Processed spices 
• Horticultural products 
• Coffee Aquaculture products 
• High-starch maize 
• High-gluten wheat

ITC is also expanding its ITCMAARS digital agriculture platform to develop a Farming-as-a-Service (FaaS) model. The platform connects crop production with buyer requirements through certification, traceability, and sourcing systems, helping farmers access domestic and export markets.

Puri also highlighted ITC’s organic spice exports, which are supported by certified cultivation practices, farmer partnerships, and the company’s spice processing facility in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. 

The expansion of Technico’s aeroponic potato seed production facility marks a major step in ITC’s seed technology strategy. By increasing capacity to 100 million TECHNITUBER mini-tubers, the company aims to strengthen the supply of disease-free seed potatoes, improve farm productivity, and support climate-resilient potato cultivation.