Potato News from India

When Burger King decided to enter India, the American hamburger chain did something that it has never done before. It gave the local master franchise full control over the menu.

PepsiCo India is looking to enhance potato procurement through its tie-up with farmers in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh.

Russia threatens to impose temporary restrictions on import of Indian potatoes.based on phytosanitary concerns (brown rot agent)

India's potato exports jumped more than two-fold during April-December period of this fiscal to 2.5 lakh tonnes.

As growth slows down and intense competition emerges from regional brands in potato chips, PepsiCo and ITC are shifting their focus more towards newer and healthier forms of packaged snacks, the market for which is growing at twice the speed.

Even though the ban by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on sale of potatoes to other states over the past three years has been lifted, cases of farmer suicides, which some say may have been driven by the fear of heavy losses, are still being reported.

The Government of India has stepped up taking measures, well in advance, to avoid any situation of abnormal increase prices of onion and potato.

Potato farmers in Deesa, Gujarat are concerned because there is not enough potato storage space for the large harvest.

A bumper crop, coupled with weak demand from other States, has led to a free-fall in potatoes prices in West Bengal.

Last month, McDonald's India has cut the amount of calories and salt on its Indian menu as it fights to hold on to customers in a rapidly growing developing market where newer, healthier fast-food options are just starting to catch on.

The Indian government has decided to remove the minimum export price of potato as its availability has increased and prices have eased in domestic markets.

In the Indian State of Karnataka, the Department of Horticulture has decided to provide certified seed potatoes to 1,000 farmers for pre-monsoon cultivation on a pilot basis.

To strengthen potato research, Punjab will set up a Centre of Excellence for Potato in Jalandhar (potato belt) in collaboration with The Netherlands, Shimla-based Central Potato Research Institute and Punjab Agricultural University

On the opening day of the India International Potato Expo on Thursday, Dr BP Singh, director, Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, said potato played an important role in the nutritional security of the country.

Domestic potato production in India in the present Rabi season is likely to be 25-30 per cent higher over last year on account of good weather conditions.

McCain Foods India is expanding its distribution network as well as improving availability of its products throughout the country.

After earning high profits last year, potato growers in India are selling the crop at a small margin this year.

Balaji, one of the largest regional potato chips and snacks brands in India, will soon move into the production of French fries and other frozen potato specialty products, according to Chandu Virani, MD of Balaji Wafers.