Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 10: The sudden scarcity of potato has not only shocked the public, but also potato researchers.

The researchers feel that if right steps are taken on time, the state can manage the situation within two years by enhancing its potato production by up to 6-7 lakh tonnes a year.

At present, the state is producing 1.98 lakh tonnes of potato. But, it consumes about nine tonnes of potato every year. So, the state’s potato demand is mostly met by imports from neighbouring Bengal. However, the horticulture directorate claims that with monsoon, potato production in cool climatic regions such as Koraput and Phulbani state can actually rise up to 2.5 lakh tonnes a year, but without adequate storage space even the produce of the state is getting diverted to cold chains in neighbouring states.

Professor of plant breeding at Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology P.C. Satpathy said: “With better use of irrigation facility in areas with colder climate, we can produce more potatoes as we can have both rabi and kharif potato harvests there. Production in the coastal region can also be enhanced with better storage facility and market linkage.’’

Now, quality seeds are available in three types, such as tubers that are ready to grow sprouts, quality tubers that are developed from high-quality specimens through tissue culture and true potato seeds such as those of tomato and other crops.

Satpathy explained that as quality potato seeds were one of the major components in the crop, they should be collected in advance.

At present, all other states and agencies collect quality potato seeds from Punjab and Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. But, we can get quality seeds in February 2014 so that we can store them for farmers’ use in regions such as Koraput and Kandhamal. Quality tubers from these crops can be used in the coastal region in the next rabi or winter season.

Places such as Angul, Balasore, Dhenkanal, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Nayagarh and Khurda use winter season for potato farming. Saying that modern cold storage facilities were a necessity in the state to store potato, Satpathy said the old facilities were either not fully utilised to their maximum capacity or used to store other vegetables, which was against the norm. It also affected the quality of the potato seeds stored for the use by farmers.

There should be three types of storage facilities for potatoes, one for the table or kitchen use, one for seeds to be used by farmers and the last one for food processing, such as to produce fries, chips and other items. But in Odisha, all types of potatoes and even other vegetables are stored in cold storages.

“Breeder-quality potato seeds are now developed in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh following their local climatic conditions. Bengal is also going to introduce such a region-specific seed soon. Odisha should also try to develop a region-specific seed to boost potato production,’’ Satpathy added.

Prashant Dhal, a prize winning farmer from Balianta on the city outskirts, who had produced record quantity of potato with organic farming method last year, said: “Cold chain facility for potato belts is the need of the hour.’’

Horticulture director Sanjeev Chadha said: “We have already started revamping the cold chain network. While eight new facilities are to be added this year, seven old facilities will also be renovated. On the other hand, training and demonstration workshops for farmers are also on the card.’’

Assuring better facilities for potato producers of Koraput and Kandhamal, Chadha said new-age storage facilities with low-energy consumption and scientific storage with temperature control would be made available to potato producers and farmers across Odisha.