Potato which is widely used as common vegetable is not an indigenous Indian species. Rather, it was brought from America and the Europeans introduced it in India. The species was introduced in Europe during the 16th century.
Potato crop needs a temperate climate. The potato varieties grown at the Mahabaleswar hills 4,500 feet above the sea level are noted for their excellence.Potato is now extensively cultivated in different provinces of India since it has emerged as a highly profitable crop. It can be adopted in different climatic situations, from cold to hot.
Potato cultivation needs lower temperature which should be frost free. lower humidity, comparatively less wind and bright sunny days are ideal. The crop grows well within 20-25 degree centigrade. Excessive moisture in the soil invites fungal infection.
Potato prefers sandy and sandy loam soil rich in organic contents. The soil must be porous. In no case should there be stagnation of water or excess moisture in the soil. The PH value of the soil should be between 5 and 7.0.
Potato plant is a creeper, which creeps on the ground and covers the soil and reduces the evaporation of soil moisture. The damp and foggy weather is very harmful.The ecological agriculture with organic farming and application of organic manuring are the best way for sustainable agricultural process of potato cultivation.The seed tubers are planted generally either on the ridges or on furrows depending on the soil moisture ratio of the land. Generally 10 to 20 quintals of seed tubers are required per hectare of land. The production varies from 100 to 350 quintals per hectare. In hill conditions, 80 varieties of potatoes are cultivated.
All the hilly districts like Kandhamal, undivided Koraput, undivided Ganjam, Kalahandi, Balangir, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj are very suitable for potato cultivation. The people of these districts know better cultivation of food crops and oil seeds.The hilly varieties of potato can be profitably cultivated in these districts and by that way the State can be made tuber surplus. For this to happen intensive efforts need to be made and the Government agencies and departments must be proactive.
Generally the peasants of hilly districts of Odisha, Jharkhand and Bihar are poor. So the State Government should come to their financial rescue by promoting potato cultivation at a greater scale. Similarly, the coastal districts like undivided Cuttack, Puri, Baleswar and Ganjam are very much suitable for cultivation of plain varieties of potato.
Recently, the State Government has declared potato as an essential commodity. So the Government itself should take necessary steps for wide cultivation of the species. It should take a leaf from the potato producing States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal and create adequate facilities for boosting up tuber production.
The riverine tracts and plains, which are now affected very much by flood and back water can be used for potato cultivation. The riverine soil is very rich in soil nutrients and very suitable for food farming.
Hence, potato can be cultivated well within the silt coastal lands and river sands. The Government should take multi–dimensional approach to attend the goal.There should be demonstrative patches of potato of various types in different climatic conditions on the State to educate the cultivators about the best farm practices.
Similarly, the Government should announce a support price of potato at the end of every crop season. Besides, adequate storing facilities should be created across the State.
Since potato is a perishable product, cold storage facilities should be created as early as possible. Presently, the State Government has decided to create eleven cold storage units in the State for storing four lakh tonnes of potato.
(The writer is a former senior forest officer and an environmentalist. Tel no 9937460649)