Shimla
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, has officially notified four new potato varieties developed by ICAR–Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, for seed production and multiplication across states and union territories.
Based on the recommendations of the Central Seed Committee, the newly released varieties—Kufri Ratan, Kufri Chipbharat-1, Kufri Chipbharat-2, and Kufri Tejas—have now been approved for agricultural use as quality seed in multiple regions of India. This step is expected to significantly enhance potato productivity and provide farmers with improved choices for both table and processing purposes.
Dr. Brajesh Singh, Director, ICAR-CPRI, congratulated the team of scientists for their dedicated and sustained contributions to the farming community and the potato-based industries of the country. He remarked that the notification of four new varieties marks a significant milestone in strengthening India’s potato sector. “This is not just a scientific achievement but also a moment of celebration for scientists, farmers, and industries alike,” he said. Dr. Singh further emphasized that the release of these varieties would open new avenues for enhancing potato productivity, improving processing efficiency, and ensuring better returns to farmers, while simultaneously supporting the growth of the potato-based food industry.
Dr. Salej Sood, Potato Breeder, ICAR-CPRI, Shimla mentioned that such developments reaffirm ICAR-CPRI’s commitment to providing innovative, region-specific solutions that benefit the nation’s agriculture as a whole. He highlighted the features of the newly notified varieties i.e. Kufri Ratan: A medium maturing (90 days), high-yielding (37–39 t/ha) red skin table potato variety with wide adaptability across North Indian plains and plateau regions (Haryana, Punjab, Plains of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka). It produces attractive dark red, ovoid tubers with shallow medium eyes and yellow flesh and has excellent storability. Kufri Tejas: It is a heat tolerant, medium maturing (90 days) and high yielding (37-40t/ha) variety for table potatoes. It has been notified and recommended for Indian plains (Haryana, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand – Early season, MP, Gujarat, Maharashtra – Main Season). The variety produces white cream, ovoid tubers, shallow eyes, white flesh, and has very good storability under ambient storage conditions. Kufri Chipbharat-1: It is a medium maturing (100 days), high yielding (35-38t/ha) chip processing variety. It is recommended for Indian plains (Haryana, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, MP, Gujarat, Rajasthan) and Karnataka, Telangana and TamilNadu in the main season. The variety produces white cream, round tubers, shallow eyes, white flesh, high dry matter (21%) and has very good storability under ambient storage conditions. The variety has acceptable chip colour and low reducing sugars and Kufri Chipbharat-2: It is an early maturing (90 days), high yielding (35-37t/ha) chip processing potato variety. It has been notified and recommended for Indian plains (Haryana, Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, MP, Gujarat, Rajasthan) and Karnataka, Telangana and Tamil Nadu in the main season. The variety produces white cream, ovoid tubers, shallow-medium eyes, cream flesh, high dry matter (21%) and has very good storability under ambient storage conditions. The variety has wide adaptability and acceptable chip colour and reducing sugars and will be available through licensing to potato seed producers and processors.
These newly notified varieties, effective from the date of publication in the Official Gazette (1st September 2025), are poised to bring far-reaching benefits to Indian agriculture. Dr Alok Kumar, Head, Social Sciences mentioned that by offering farmers region-specific, high-yielding, and climate-resilient options, they are expected to enhance crop productivity and farm incomes across diverse potato-growing regions of the country. At the same time, the chip processing varieties will provide a major boost to the potato processing sector by ensuring consistent supply of raw material with desirable quality traits, thereby strengthening the linkage between farmers and the food industry.
