Jammu, May 30: The department of Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare, Jammu, Friday observed the second International Day of Potato, acknowledging the crop’s vital role in sustaining over one billion people worldwide and its significance in the region’s farming landscape.
Declared by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2023, the International Day of Potato is celebrated annually on May 30. This year’s theme, “Shaping History, Nourishing the Future,” underscores the potato’s enduring contribution to food systems, livelihoods and global nutrition.
Addressing the gathering, Director Agriculture Jammu, Arvinder Singh Reen, highlighted the potato’s central role in the region’s agrarian economy and praised the dedication of farmers working across Jammu’s diverse terrains. He elaborated on the region’s sowing calendar, with cultivation in hilly areas spanning April to May across approximately 900 hectares, and from September to October in the plains, covering nearly 2,050 hectares. Popular varieties include Kufri Sindori, Kufri Badshah, Kufri Pukraj, Kufri Surya, Chipsona 1, and Khyati in the plains, and Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Himalini, Kufri Himsona, Kufri Chandermukhi, and the recently introduced Lady Rosetta in the hills.
Reen advocated for the adoption of mechanised technologies such as potato transplanters and harvesters, alongside climate-resilient and scientific practices to meet evolving agricultural challenges. He urged young farmers and agri-entrepreneurs to explore opportunities under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), especially in value addition and processing units, to increase profitability. He also highlighted the department’s commitment to supporting small-scale, rural, and women-led potato farming, promoting sustainability while combating hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. “As we commemorate the International Day of Potato, we must acknowledge the invaluable contributions of our farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and agricultural officers,” Reen said. “Potato cultivation not only reinforces rural economies but also plays a crucial role in ensuring a sustainable and nutritious food system for future generations.”
