{"id":361160,"date":"2026-04-20T15:29:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T09:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/?p=361160"},"modified":"2026-04-20T15:29:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T09:59:18","slug":"potato-cultivation-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/potato-cultivation-in-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Potato Cultivation in India\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>News: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farmers\u2019 organisations claim that the Centre\u2019s potato procurement price is only about half of the actual input cost.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>About Potato Cultivation in India<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_361161\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-361161\" style=\"width: 380px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-361161 \" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot_20-4-2026_142112_www.researchgate.net_.jpeg?resize=380%2C331&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Potato Cultivation in India\" width=\"380\" height=\"331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot_20-4-2026_142112_www.researchgate.net_.jpeg?resize=300%2C261&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot_20-4-2026_142112_www.researchgate.net_.jpeg?resize=768%2C668&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot_20-4-2026_142112_www.researchgate.net_.jpeg?w=879&amp;ssl=1 879w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-361161\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: ResearchGate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a <\/span><b>root vegetable plant native to America <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>domesticated in Peru <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">about 6000 years ago.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In India,<\/span><b> it was introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and since then, it has become an important vegetable across India.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Geographical conditions required for its growth:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Climate: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It thrives<\/span><b> in temperate climates<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where the growing season remains moderately cool.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Temperature: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An ideal temperature range for its growth <\/span><b>is 18\u201329\u00b0C during the day and 13\u201318\u00b0C at night.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Vegetative growth<\/strong> is best around <strong>24\u00b0C,<\/strong> and<strong> tuber formation<\/strong> is optimal at <strong>about 20\u00b0C.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Sunlight: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It requires at<\/span><b> least six hours of sunlight daily, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">though it can also grow under partial or dappled shade.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Soil: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It requires a<\/span><b> well-drained, well-aerated, porous soil<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with a pH of 5 to 6.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Loamy and sandy loam soils<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that are<\/span><b> rich in organic matter, well-drained<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and<\/span><b> well-aerated<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are most suitable for its cultivation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Water requirement: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is relatively<\/span><b> sensitive to soil water deficits. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To optimise yields, the total available soil water should not be depleted by more than 30 to 50 per cent.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Potato production in India\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the <\/span><b>second-largest producer of potatoes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the world after China.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its higher productivity level is confined <\/span><b>mainly to the Indo-Gangetic plains and plateau regions, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">producing about 90% of potatoes.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Production: Between 1991-92 and 2020-21:<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Potato <strong>cultivated area<\/strong> has <strong>doubled<\/strong> from 11 to 22 lakh hectares<\/li>\n<li><strong>Production tripled<\/strong> from 181.95 to 561.72 lakh metric tonnes<\/li>\n<li><strong>Productivity<\/strong> increased by over <strong>50%<\/strong>\u2014from 16 to 25 metric tonnes per hectare.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Top producing states:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The 74% of its total output is from<\/span><b> Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Assam, Haryana, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">also have significant production.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>About Operation Greens<\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 298px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static.pib.gov.in\/WriteReadData\/userfiles\/image\/image004YYU1.jpg?resize=298%2C286&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Operation Greens scheme\" width=\"298\" height=\"286\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: PIB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was introduced to <strong>stabilize the supply of tomato, onion, and Potato (TOP)<\/strong> crops.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Nodal Ministry: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was launched by the <\/span><b>Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <strong>2018<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Implementing agency:<\/strong> It is being implemented by <strong>National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED).<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><b>Scheme type: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a<\/span><b> Central Sector Scheme <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">under the <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/question\/consider-the-following-statements-regarding-pradhan-mantri-kisan-sampada-yojana-pmksy-1-it-is-a-central-sector-scheme-launched-by-ministry-of-agriculture-and-farmers-welfare-2operation-greens\/\">Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY)<\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Objectives:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Boost income for TOP farmers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by strengthening production clusters, FPOs, and market linkages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Stabilise prices<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through better production planning and the use of dual-purpose varieties.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Reduce post-harvest losses <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with farm-gate infrastructure, improved logistics, and storage near consumption centres.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Expand processing capacity and value addition <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with strong links to production clusters.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Develop a market intelligence system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for real-time data on demand, supply, and prices of TOP crops.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Components:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The scheme has <\/span><b>two components:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Short-term strategy, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">i.e. Price Stabilisation Measures through the grant of transportation \/storage subsidy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Long-term strategy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> focuses on <\/span><b>creating post-harvest processing facilities, agri-logistics, and capacity building<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>About From TOP to TOTAL<\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 288px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static.pib.gov.in\/WriteReadData\/userfiles\/image\/image005LMH5.png?resize=288%2C288&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"From TOP to TOTAL \" width=\"288\" height=\"288\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: PIB<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2020, the <\/span><b>Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)<\/b><strong> extended the Operation Greens scheme <\/strong>from<b> Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) to all fruits &amp; vegetables (TOTAL) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as part of the <strong>Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was initiated for a period of six months on a pilot basis but has now been further expanded and extended.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Eligible Crops:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Fruits- <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mango, Banana, Guava, Kiwi, Litchi, Papaya, Mousambi, Orange, Kinnow, Lime, Lemon,\u00a0 Pineapple, Pomegranate, Jackfruit, Apple, Almond, Aonla, Passion fruit, Pear, Mandarins;<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Vegetables<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; French beans, Bitter Gourd, Brinjal, Capsicum, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chillies (Green), Okra, Cucumber, Peas, Garlic, Onion, Potato, Tomato, Turmeric (raw).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Any other fruit\/vegetable can be added<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in future based on <\/span><b>recommendations by the Ministry of Agriculture or the State Government<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Eligible Entities:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It includes:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Food processors, FPOs\/FPCs, Co-operative Societies, Individual farmers, Licensed Commission Agents, Exporters, State Marketing\/Co-operative Federation, Retailers, etc., engaged in processing\/ marketing of fruits and vegetables.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Pattern of Assistance: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It provides a 50% subsidy on transportation and storage to reduce post-harvest losses and prevent distress sales by farmers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>News: Farmers\u2019 organisations claim that the Centre\u2019s potato procurement price is only about half of the actual input cost. About Potato Cultivation in India It is a root vegetable plant native to America and domesticated in Peru about 6000 years ago.\u00a0 In India, it was introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and since&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/potato-cultivation-in-india\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Potato Cultivation in India\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10366,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1566,3127,956,11209,12039],"tags":[11872,3590],"class_list":["post-361160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-factly-articles","category-economy","category-schemes-and-programs","category-geography-in-news","category-knolls","tag-9pm-daily-factly","tag-pib","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10366"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361160\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}