This paper reports the growth trends in area,production and productivity of potato in different states and agro-ecological zones of India,during the period 1980 to 2007 along with underlying reasons and economics of potato and potato-based cropping systems.Currently 24 million tonnes of potato is produced from 1.32 million hectares.The area,production and mean tuber yield at the national level increased by 92,200 and 55%,respectively.The growth was impressive in the states of West Bengal,UP,Punjab,Haryana and Bihar,having irrigated potato crop.In most other states having mainly rainfed potato crop,the trend was stagnant to negative with a few exceptions.The positive trend was driven by release of as many as 21 region specific,high fertiliser responsive high yielding varieties of potato since 1980 by Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI),Shimla.A robust national seed production programme further aided to it,though it is still inadequate to meet the demand of the country.Development of several highly productive and profitable region specific potato-based cropping systems and their package of practices were responsible for sustaining the growth.Productivity of these systems is 68 to 164% more than the most dominant rice-wheat system in the Indo-Gangetic plains,which explains the popularity and recent expansion of potato area,production and productivity.
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