Peru’s Iron-Rich Potatoes to be in India.

India is on the cusp of a significant agricultural and public health advancement with the impending introduction of a new, iron-rich, biofortified potato variety developed by Peru’s International Potato Center (CIP). This innovative potato is poised to play a crucial role in addressing India’s widespread issue of iron deficiency and anaemia, a concern for the government given its high prevalence, particularly among women.

The germplasm, or genetic material, of this groundbreaking potato has been transferred from CIP to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s (ICAR) Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) in Shimla. Simon Heck, Director-General of CIP, confirmed this development during his visit to India for the establishment of CIP’s South Asia regional centre in Agra. ICAR scientists are now diligently working to adapt this variety to suit diverse Indian soil and environmental conditions. Once successfully adapted, the potato will undergo efficacy testing in limited geographical areas with farmers before its wider commercial release.

Biofortification, the practice of breeding crops to enhance their nutritional value through either conventional selective breeding or genetic engineering, is central to this initiative. CIP has dedicated 16 years to developing iron and zinc-fortified potatoes. Their initial varieties demonstrated a remarkable 40-80 percent higher concentration of iron compared to commonly consumed varieties in Latin American highlands. Subsequent efforts led to a second generation of potatoes combining elevated iron and zinc with crucial traits like resistance to late blight (potato fungus) and virus diseases, along with increased tolerance to heat and drought. A 2023 study published in The Journal of Nutrition further validated its effectiveness, revealing that total iron absorption from iron-biofortified potato varieties was 45.8 percent higher than from non-biofortified commercial varieties among women from the Peruvian highlands.

The need for such an intervention in India is pressing. Despite record-high potato production, India grapples with severe malnutrition and undernutrition. Anaemia affects nearly 57 percent of Indian women aged 15-49, according to India’s National Family Health Survey (2019-2021). Government estimates suggest this prevalence could rise with population growth unless focused improvements in micronutrient availability are made. Renowned Indian geneticist and former ICAR director-general, Trilochan Mohapatra, emphasized that biofortified crops are a vital solution, noting India’s significant investment in this area, with nearly 100 biofortified varieties of various crops already developed by domestic institutes.This isn’t CIP’s first contribution to India’s nutritional landscape; their Vitamin A-rich sweet potato variety is already extensively grown by farmers in Odisha, Karnataka, and West Bengal. The iron-rich potato is expected to emulate this success, offering a sustainable and accessible way to improve the micronutrient intake of the masses and mitigate the burden of anaemia across the nation.