CU LTIVATION AND TECHNOLOGY India is on the threshold of large-scale potato mechanisation big businesses such as Bhatti and Sangha have their own, rapid multiplication stations. Bhatti’s other son, Tanvir Singh, is currently studying at Wageningen University to gain more knowledge about rapid multiplication technology. This led last year to the investment in a new, aeroponics system. Bhatti produces about 2.5 million mini tubers annually in his 8,000 square-metre greenhouses. This high-quality material is the basis for his 1,000 hectare seed potato cultivation and he sells a part of it. In addition, Bhatti grows 200 hectares under contract. The growers receive 9 rupees per kilogram for this. After the harvest, Bhatti handles the transport and storage. In addition to Bhatti’s plots, a team of agronomists also watch over the plots of the contract growers. For this purpose, Bhatti´s son Varunjit Singh has developed their own cultivation registration system, where the crop advisors fill out their observations and the family gets a clear picture of the growth and development during the season. Climate change is a challenge According to Sangha, climate change – yes also here – is going to be a challenge in the coming years. ‘Temperatures are rising in India, which will lead to a reduction in hectare yields. And the high temperatures will also lead to water stress. These changes are less adverse for the northern Punjab than for the south. Because of the warming, there is less chance of winter frost, which strengthens the position of our seed potatoes. This will result in consumers having to learn to pay more for their food, which is not easy in India, where price rises are always a serious issue. This will make it increasingly difficult for growers to remain productive in the future with the current way of working. Low prices after the harvest In the consumption market, 20 rupees is a normal kilogram price for potatoes. Straight after the harvest, they only fetched 10 rupees per kilogram at the wholesale market in Ambala. The reason is that many growers don’t have any storage facilities yet and therefore sell their produce ex land, which places an enormous pressure on the market prices. In order to continue to develop the market, education is very important according to Sangha. ‘At this moment, growers don´t yet have a great deal of knowledge. Children often don’t go to school which makes it difficult to introduce new developments. In the short term, a cooperative would be an excellent step, which would allow for investing in a joint storage, for example. This would remove the price pressure after the harvest and would result in afFordable potatoes for the consumer for much longer. That’s what you see in Europe as well, collaboration of smaller growers who, together, have power in the chain. Collaboration is very much needed to initiate change. Growers must develop into entrepreneurs, grow quality potatoes and sell all year round at a good price. That’s where the challenge lies’, Jang explains. In addition to his already existing 60,000 ton storehouse, he’ll invest this year in a big, modern storage unit where other growers can also store their produce. Export seed examined The range of varieties in India currently consists mainly of local varieties. These have been developed by the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI). The Statistics for Indian potato growing (Source: FAO) Harvested surface area (hectares) 2001 2009 1,211,300 Yield (tons per hectare) 18,363 Total production (tons) 22,242,700 34,390,900 1,828,330 1,835,380 1,865,842 ‘Growers must develop into entrepreneurs, grow quality potatoes and sell them all year round at a good price. That’s where our challenge lies’, Jang Bahadur Singh Sangha spells out. 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1,907,001 1,992,249 2,024,038 18,810 19,929 22,724 21,753 36,577,300 22,760 42,399,400 41,483,000 45,343,600 22,922 Jaap Delleman 46,395,000 names of the varieties refer to the home of the breeding station in Kufri. For example, a well-known name is Kufri Chandramukhi, a variety that has a good flavour and is resistant to heat during the growing season. Looking to the future, both Sangha and Bhatti would like to collaborate with a European trading company, so that new varieties that suit the special Indian growing season can be introduced to the market. That’s a market which the Dutch trading company HZPC in Joure is also examining. In 2014, HZPC entered into a joint venture with the Indian company Mahindra with the purpose of enhancing the cultivation of seed potatoes in that country and, if possible, starting to export Indian seed. The Indian growers are also examining the possibilities of exporting seed potatoes to neighbouring countries Pakistan and Bangladesh. ‘If you look at the physiological age of the seed, it would be better to export seed from India, instead of from Europe’, says Sangha. Both growers are regularly travelling around the world to learn from other growers and companies. ‘In this way, we’ll be able to bring the technology we need to India in order to raise our fast-growing potato cultivation to a higher level’, Bhatti and Sangha say unanimously. ● Potato World 2017 • number 1 23 Pagina 22

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