Apart from tomatoes, onions, and spinach among others, potato is a common vegetable staple for Indian kitchens
Given the high demand for potatoes in the market, the State government is planning to increase production in the State
A major problem associated with potato cultivation in the State is the availability of planting materials or seeds
They are presently procured from the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, and some traders in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh
To address these issues, the Horticulture department is planning to adopt Apical rooted Cutting (ARC) seed technology to produce quality seeds at an affordable cost
For this, the department sent a 15-member team, including progressive farmers, to the International Potato Centre (CIP) and University of Horticultural Sciences (UHS), Bengaluru, on a study tour
After visiting different nurseries, tissue culture labs, and fields, the team came up with an action plan to promote ARC technology in the State
As per the action plan, seeds produced via ARC will be procured from CIP and supplied to farmers free of cost during Kharif and tubers thus formed will be further used during the Rabi crop season