Union Cabinet approves global potato research center in Agra: What is the significance?

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on January 20, urging him to direct ministry officials to facilitate the early establishment of the center. Here is what to know.

What is the International Potato Center (CIP)?

Headquartered in Lima, Peru, the CIP was founded in 1971 with a focus on the potato, sweet potato and Andean roots and tubers. Notably, the potato crop is native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes in Latin America, and was spread across the globe by the Spaniards and the Portuguese who colonised the continent. Potatoes reached India in the 17th century.

The CIP is engaged in South America, Africa and Asia. It commenced its work in India in 1975, signing an initial agreement for cooperation on potatoes and sweet potatoes with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

What functions will it carry out?

The Union Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a proposal from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to establish the CSARC. “The major objective of this investment is to increase food and nutrition security, farmers income, and job creation by improving potato and sweet potato productivity, post-harvest management and value-addition,” an official statement said.

The CSARC will focus on the development of new varieties which will be climate resilient, disease-free, and suitable for processing. It will bring global science expertise, an extensive global innovation network and global genetic resources, sources said.

The entire project costs Rs 171 crore, with India contributing Rs 111.5 crore and the remaining Rs 60 crore funded by the CIP. The UP government has provided 10 hectares of land for it.

Why is the move significant?

The potato is the third most available food crop in the world, after rice and wheat, while sweet potato is in the 6th position after maize and cassava. Though India is the second largest potato producer in the world, followed by China, its average yield is 25 tonnes per hectare — about half of its potential of over 50 tonnes per hectare. A major reason for these low numbers is a lack of availability of high-quality seeds.

India’s sweet potato yield is just 11.5 tonnes per hectare, which is much less than the potential of 30 tonnes per hectare. With the establishment of the CSARC, India will have access to the largest global collection of germplasm (the cells or tissues from which a new organism can be generated) available with the CIP, a source said.

“Establishment of this center will boost domestic potato seed production, thereby reducing India’s dependence on seed imports from neighbouring countries”, the source added. It will also help increase the potential for exporting the potato and sweet potato products from India to international markets, and aid local food processing industries in increasing investments in processing and value addition.

Is this the first time that a wing is being established outside Peru?

The proposed Agra center comes eight years after China set up a similar CIP wing. Known as the China Center for Asia Pacific (CCCAP), it was established in Yanqing, Beijing, in 2017. The center serves China, East Asia and the Pacific regions.

The proposed CSARC will be the second major international agricultural research institution to set up operations in India. In 2017, the Agriculture Ministry supported the establishment of a regional centre of the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The IRRI-SARC is established in Varanasi.

What is India’s position in global potato production?

China is the top potato producer and consumer in the world, followed by India. In 2020, China’s production was recorded at 78.24 million tonnes, while India produced 51.30 million tonnes. Both countries together accounted for over one-third of the global potato production (359.07 million tonnes).

In India, Uttar Pradesh (15 million tonnes), West Bengal (15 million tonnes) and Bihar (9 million tonnes) were the top three potato producers in 2020-21. Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab also have significant production.

As of now, at least two different ICAR centres work on tuber crops. While the Shimla-based ICAR-CPRI (Central Potato Research Institute) is working on the potato, the Thiruvananthapuram-based ICAR-CTCRI (Central Tuber Crops Research Institute) is working on the sweet potato.