Journalist Binita Kumari in an article on the portal krishijagran.com talks about this interesting event.
“Nilkant Kufri Blue Potato is one of a kind as it was created by farmer Mishrilal Rajput from Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. He says the variety is beneficial for both consumers and farmers and processors: “Compared to regular white potatoes, this blue is rich in antioxidants: 100 grams of potato is found to contain 100 mg, which is almost 7 times the amount of antioxidants in regular potatoes.
Yields are higher: where white potato varieties produce about 300 centners in the field, blue can produce up to 400 centners at the same cultivation cost. In addition, it is resistant to numerous diseases that occur in conditions of heavy rainfall, which protects farmers' investment in the crop.
Finally, it takes less time to cook and boil than conventional potatoes - savings are important in the face of rising energy costs. The taste is excellent."
The farmer emphasized that growing potato varieties adapted to local conditions is more profitable, as the negative impact of climate change on potato productivity can be offset to some extent by selecting suitable varieties for the area. The impact of climate change on potato yields in Madhya Pradesh was analyzed by scientists using the WOFOST crop growth simulation model. Potato varieties of three maturity groups were selected: Kufri Badshah (late), Kufri Joti (middle) and Kufri Pukhraj (early). According to calculations, the combined effect of CO2 and temperature will reduce the productivity of Kufri Pukhraj by 7,6%, by 7,3% for Kufri Jyoti and by 6,4% for Kufri Badshah.
Potato varieties suited to the country's climate - with hot summers and short winters - are grown in the Indo-Gangetic Plain during the short winter days from October to March, while some year-round production takes place in the relatively highlands in the south.
Madhya Pradesh is one of the top five potato states in India, where potatoes alternate with okra and soybeans in the crop rotation.
Potato cultivation in India has been going on for over 300 years. For the country, it is the fourth most important food crop after rice, wheat and corn.