SHILLONG, May 17: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who along with Agriculture Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Wednesday inspected the ongoing potato seed production programme at Bio Resource Development Centre (BRDC) in Upper Shillong, has pointed out that there is a shortage of potato supply in Meghalaya in terms of seed and production of potatoes.
The project, titled ‘Seed Secure Meghalaya : Establishment of low cost formal and informal potato seed production system to enhance food security and income generation’, is an initiative of the Meghalaya government that aims to increase potato seed production and cultivation in the state and market the high-yielding varieties of potato to markets across the Northeastern region and beyond.
The project is being implemented by International Potato Centre (CIP) in partnership with Meghalaya Basin Management Authority, Department of Horticulture and Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla.
The chief minister said that the pilot project has been largely successful and the government envisages introduction of the technique in a large scale enabling potato farmers to double their income. “…this gap (shortage of potato supply) can be easily filled if we can work in a scientific manner, and this (ARC) technique is a great living example of how change is taking place,” he said.
Earlier at the BRDC, the official gave a presentation on the Apical Rooted Cutting (ARC) technique which is being used to produce the potato seed through tissue culture plantlets. This technique allows tissue culture plantlets to mature and produce minitubers, cutting are produced from the plantlets. Once rooted, the cuttings are transplanted into the field to produce seed tubers.
The CM hoped that with right intervention and technology, the production can be increased while also maintaining the quality of the potatoes. “We would like to encourage this method, so as to increase seed production and cultivation of potatoes in the State. We are hopeful that in the coming years we can be the hub of seed production and export it beyond the State in the neighbouring Northeast”.
The Chief Minister said that the scientific method has been introduced to ensure that there are better yield and quality potatoes. He informed that the government is working closely with the farmers to demonstrate the difference between the old generation and the new generation potatoes through this pilot project.
He also visited the Kyrdemkhla Integrated Village Cooeprative Society (IVCS) in Upper Shillong and interacted with the farmers, who have adopted the technique and are upbeat with the results i.e., the yield of the potatoes.
Under the project, 150 farmers were given ‘Kufri Jyoti’ and ‘Himalini’ varieties of seeds, 500 farmers were trained on integrated seed health management and storage, two tissue culture labs with capacity of 1 lakh tissue culture plants were set up and 15,146 ha area mapped for potato production using GIS mapping.
