News on Potato Varieties and Seed from Asia

Leading farmers unions and rights advocacy groups have demanded that the PepsiCo immediately withdraw all legal suits it has slapped on many potato farmers in different districts of Gujarat.

PepsiCo has sued three potato farmers in Gujarat complaining that they have been illegally growing and selling a variety of potato exclusively registered to Pepsico for the use of producing its Lays potato chips.

The Odisha Government has decided to approve a major project with the International Potato Centre (CIP) focused on sustainable intensification of potato cultivation in order to achieve self-sufficiency in production in this Indian State.

In Nepal, Mukunda Ranjit is recognized by the Kantipur Foundation as Kantipur Icon 2018 in the category Science and Technology for his work to make potatoes virus-free, pioneering this initiative in South Asia.

James Hutton Limited, has entered into a five-year agreement with Technico Agri Sciences, a subsidiary of Indian company ITC Limited, to provide 16 potato varieties and 600 clones to be trialled and tested in India.

The Potato Conference in Zhaotong, China was held earlier this week on October 28 and 29, 2018. The World Potato Congress delegation made a significant contribution.

Snacks and beverages manufacturer PepsiCo plans to invest $5 million by 2020 to expand its sustainable farming programme in India.

In an effort to limit the spread of the Potato Cyst Nematode, the government of India has prohibited the movement of seed potatoes from Himachal, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Jammu Kashmir to other states

Li Jinfu started his potato-breeding business over 20 years ago. From 2009, he began to exploit overseas markets.

The United Kingdom has signed a major deal allowing the export of seed potatoes to China. The deal is expected to bring major benefits to Scotland, with around 70% of the 100,000 tonnes of seed potatoes exported annually from the UK coming from Scottish farms.

A centre for excellence for potato-seed is all set to come up in Gujarat, through a collaboration between Indian and Dutch companies.

In Cambodia, researchers at the Potato Research Centre at the Royal University of Agriculture announced last week that five provinces and the capital itself will become the country's hub for potato growing after successful tests of a range of potato varieties were recently finished.

Many Potato farmers in South-west Uttar Pradesh (Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura, Agra, Firozabad, Etawah, Mainpuri, Kannauj and Farrukhabad) - accounting for roughly a fifth of India’s total potato production have been unable to sell all their potatoes of last season.

With the first large harvest of potatoes in Cambodia expected next year, months of research in the highlands of Mondulkiri province show the country’s soil and climate are well-suited for growing certain varieties.

Víctor Otazu ha viajado muchas veces a la provincia de Qinghai desde el 2007. Al principio como experto del Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP) y ahora como consultor de la Academia de Agricultura y Ciencias Forestales. Sus conocimientos han contribuido para que dicha región sea hoy una de las principales productoras de semilla de la China.

Desarrollada en colaboración con el CIP y el CPRI, Kufri Lima, como se llama la variedad, es temprana, tolerante al calor y resistente a los virus, características muy apreciadas por los agricultores locales.

Farmers in India can expect higher yields and profits with the release of a new potato variety, Kufri Lima, developed by the International Potato Center (CIP) and the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI)

The International Potato Center (CIP) opened its representation in Tbilisi, Georgia on October 11.