Shimla — The Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, has produced 400 quintals of Kufri Sahyadri potato seed for the first time at its Kufri-Fagu farm, marking a major step in expanding the availability of disease-resistant varieties across the country.
The Kufri Sahyadri variety is resistant to cyst nematode and late blight, two major problems affecting potato crops in hilly regions. The variety is suitable for both table use and processing. Until now, this seed was produced only at CPRI’s Ooty farm in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri district. This is the first year that production has been successfully carried out in Shimla.
CPRI Director Dr. Brajesh Singh said the institute will supply the seed to seven states, including Himachal Pradesh. “The cyst nematode-resistant Kufri Sahyadri variety produced at our Ooty farm has now been produced for the first time at the Kufri-Fagu farm. It will be supplied to interested states,” he said.
Apart from Kufri Sahyadri, CPRI has produced seeds of Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Girdhari, Kufri Himalani, and Kufri Karan varieties. The 400 quintals of seed will be provided to Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and the northeastern states of Manipur, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh will also receive a share of the stock.
CPRI will supply the seeds directly to the state governments, which will further multiply them and distribute them to farmers through their agriculture departments. The institute says the availability of blight-resistant and nematode-resistant varieties will help farmers reduce crop loss and improve productivity in high-risk regions.
