HP Guv: Alternative Income for Farmers Amid Climate Change

Shimla, Aug 20 (PTI) Alternative sources of income should be made available to the farmers amid changing climatic conditions, said Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla said on Tuesday.

He was addressing an event on the 76th Foundation Day of the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) here.

Stressing the need to establish a potato-based industry in the state, he said diversification of crops could prove to be fruitful in ensuring food and nutrition security for the growing population of the country, a statement said.

Potato was the major vegetable crop of India, contributing about 28 per cent of the total vegetable production. India was the second largest potato producer in the world after China, and accounts for about 15 per cent of the global potato production, the governor noted.

He pointed out that potato crop was cultivated in about 14,000 hectares area in Himachal, producing approximately two lakh tonnes of potatoes.

Though the production is less than the national average, still due to its good and unmatched quality, it generates good income for farmers, he added.

He congratulated the institute for developing blight-resistant potato varieties like Kufri Himalini, Kufri Girdhari and Kufri Karan.

Shukla said that due to the research work and adoption of modern techniques by the institute, India was listed as a major producer of potatoes in the world. During the last seven decades, there has been unprecedented progress in the area and production of potatoes.

He also congratulated the institute for developing more than 70 varieties and developing aeroponic methods for the production of virus-free seed potatoes.

He appreciated the efforts of the Institute for the Conservation of the physical wealth of species and techniques and obtained more than 25 patents.

However, he expressed concern over the decreasing interest of farmers towards potatoes in the state in the last few years and urged the scientists to find out various problems related to it through research.