Agrograde, a Maharashtra-based agri-robotics startup, is creating a buzz in India’s potato sector by integrating AI-powered grading and sorting technologies into the potato supply chain. This innovative approach is transforming post-harvest operations, which is crucial as India aims to capture a major share of the projected $47 billion global export opportunity in processed potatoes by 2030. By addressing the critical issue of quality and consistency, Agrograde’s technology is not only benefiting farmers but also providing the latest technology to scale up all the operations in potato post harvest management. 

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The Role of AI in Potato Post-Harvest Quality

Traditionally, grading and sorting potatoes have been manual, subjective, and prone to error, which often leads to significant revenue losses for farmers. Agrograde is solving this problem with its advanced, automated systems.

Precision Grading and Sorting

Agrograde’s core technology involves AI-powered optical sorters. These machines use advanced algorithms and vision systems to rapidly and accurately assess potatoes for various quality parameters. They grade potatoes by size, shape, color, and surface defects. This removes the inconsistency and subjectivity of manual sorting, allowing for customizable grading rules that can be matched to specific international buyer specifications. The systems can detect and remove defects such as cuts, sprouts, rot, and greening with high precision.

Tangible Financial Impact

The shift to automated potato grading has a profound financial impact across the value chain:

• For Farmers: Properly graded potatoes fetch better prices and much higher than mixed-grade lots of potatoes. This precision ensures that premium potato produce reaches premium markets, resulting in an estimated upto 30 percent jump in the realized value for farmers.

• For Potato Processors: By using Agrograde’s machines, potato processing companies can solve the challenge of grade and quality mismatch, which had previously resulted in poor recovery at the plant. The automated removal of defective tubers reduces downstream rejections and storage decay, significantly cutting post-harvest losses and boosting efficiency.

The technology effectively connects Indian farms to global markets by ensuring consistent quality and reliability, which is a key requirement for international trade.

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Driving India’s Global Export Ambition

Agrograde’s technology is a key enabler for India’s growing ambition in the global frozen and processed potato market.

Meeting Global Demand for Processed Products

The fastest expansion in the global potato trade is being driven by value-added products like French fries, flakes, chips, and starch. Global trade in frozen potato products grew by a remarkable 71 percent between 2019 and 2024, from $7.7 billion to $13.2 billion. India, once focused primarily on domestic demand, is now aggressively targeting this international stage, with Gujarat emerging as a major hub for premium varieties like Lady Rosetta, Kufri Chipsona, and Santana.

Unlocking the $47 Billion Opportunity

Industry experts project that India’s processed potato export market could reach $47 billion by 2030. Achieving this ambitious target depends on systematic quality improvements and standardization. Agrograde’s automated systems provide the necessary quality assurance, stretching from rural farms to international ports, thereby building trust in India’s potato supply chains. By converting mixed-quality lots of potatoes into clearly graded potatoes, the company is helping to unlock higher revenue per quintal and strengthening national competitiveness.

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Recognition and Future Outlook

The impact and potential of Agrograde’s work have garnered significant attention and adoption.

Industry Validation

Agrograde has received recognition from prestigious institutions and technology leaders, including NITI Aayog, BSE, Bosch, NVIDIA, IIM Ahmedabad, and IIT Kanpur. Food processors and export-focused operators across India have rapidly integrated these systems. By democratizing AI-powered sorting, the company is effectively reducing post-harvest losses and improving the marketability of the produce.

The future of potato farming, as demonstrated by Agrograde, lies in intelligent technologies that ensure every potato harvest reaches its highest potential. This technological integration promises to transform India from a bulk producer into a global supplier of premium-quality potato produce.