India approves two new potato varieties for cultivation

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The Government of India has officially notified two potato varieties developed by ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, Kufri Abhedya and Kufri Ruby, for cultivation. Published in the Gazette of India on July 8, 2026, the notification allows the production, certification and sale of quality seed in their recommended regions, supporting higher productivity, disease management and market opportunities for growers.

Dr. Brajesh Singh, Director of CPRI, said the release reflects India’s focus on developing climate-resilient, disease-resistant and market-driven potato varieties to address challenges in the sector. He added that the notification will strengthen the national quality seed system, accelerate the adoption of improved technologies and contribute to higher farm productivity and incomes.

© Government of India

The notification is particularly important for Himachal Pradesh, where potato is a major cash crop. Kufri Abhedya has been recommended for cultivation in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, the hill regions of the northeastern states, the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu, and the plateau regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Dr. Salej Sood, Senior Scientist at CPRI, said Kufri Abhedya is a medium-maturing table potato that matures in 110 to 120 days and yields 25 to 30 tons per hectare under kharif conditions. The variety combines resistance to late blight and potato cyst nematodes (PCN), making it the first high-yielding Indian potato variety resistant to both PCN species. It also has yellow-skinned tubers with pink splashes, cream-coloured flesh and good keeping quality.

Dr. Sood said Kufri Ruby was developed for the growing baby potato market in the Indian plains. The medium-maturing variety yields 23 to 25 tons per hectare and produces about 60 per cent of its tubers as baby potatoes within 90 days. It has been recommended for cultivation across major potato-growing states, including Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra.

For more information:
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
www.pib.gov.in

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Source: The Plantations International Agroforestry Group of Companies