News on The Potato Supply Chain from Asia

Retail prices of potatoes have risen marginally, given that farmers have been scrambling to stock up on the harvest, which has had a bumper production this year. This very bounty and the stockpiling is expected to keep potato prices stable over the next season.

Predicting a bumper harvest of potato this season, the West Bengal Cabinet on Monday decided to allow cold storage owners to purchase at least 10 lakh (1 Million) metric tons of tuber from farmers at a fixed price, so that they do not have to suffer losses, a senior official said.

Central Potato Research Institute, (CPRI) Ooty in Tamil Nadu has developed two disease resistant potatoes - Kufri Sahyadri and Kufri Karan - hybrid varieties which at present showing promising results in improving yield by 25 per cent to 30 per cent at laboratory level.

On Jan 31, 2021, the team of Allround (India) Vegetable Processing Machines Pvt Ltd, Ambala, Haryana took part in the inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of the expansion and capacity enhancement project of the unit.

Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) has provided over 50,000 potato tubers to Agriculture Department of Gilgit Baltistan (Northern Areas) in order to promote disease free potato production.

Bangladesh is importing two blight resistant (GM) potato lines developed at Michigan State University for a field trial. Success will save 20% yield loss and Tk100C in fungicide cost.

Last month, key actors from Georgia’s potato sector convened virtually to discuss ideas to enhance the country’s potato sector.

How do Agrico seed potatoes find their way to Bangladesh? The journey starts with the sale of the seed potatoes.

The government of Pakistan is committed to expedite the establishment of aPotato Development Council under the forthcoming Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF), revealed Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood.

Bangladesh targets potato production of over 4 million tons just for the Rangpur division

A new study published in Plant Pathology identifies for the first time the genotypes of P. infestans, causing late blight in the main potato-growing regions in Java, Indonesia.

In the period between January and October of 2020, 982,1 tons of potatoes were produced in Azerbaijan. According to the State Statistics Committee, compared to the same period last year, this indicator increased by 1,6%.

Researchers of the International Potato Center (CIP) explain the difficulties small potato farmers in many states of India may face to access good-quality planting materials at affordable prices.

Bangladesh imports over 2,000 tons of seed potato from the Netherlands. Varieties include Diamond, Carolus, Margarita, Barcelona, and Accent.

The Government of Pakistan has set a target to produce about 4.871 million potatoes and 2.220 million tons of onions during Rabi Season 2020-21 in order to fulfill the domestic requirements as well as for export.

Prices of Potatoes and all other vegetables and pulses have steadily increased through the course of the coronavirus-infused lockdown.

Blaming the federal government for the steep hike in prices of essential commodities, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal alleged that the prices were rising as the Centre has snatched away the state's power.

Even as the State Potato Mission failed to take off due to the lack of direction and apathy of the government to the project, it has expressed it desire to revalidate the contract with the International Potato Centre (CIP) for intensification of potato production.