In a significant move towards bolstering its agricultural independence, the Bengal Agriculture department has announced ambitious plans to cease its reliance on Punjab for potato seeds within the next five years. This initiative aims to produce 3 lakh metric tons of potato seeds within the state to meet its own demands. A substantial portion of this production, estimated to be between 1.8 lakh and 2 lakh metric tons, will be concentrated in North Bengal.
The decision was a key topic of discussion during a recent high-level meeting held in Jalpaiguri, attended by Additional Director of Agriculture Nikhil Karmakar and other senior officials. The focus of the meeting was to outline the roadmap for significantly increasing potato seed production within the region.
Traditionally, farmers in North Bengal have depended on Punjab for their potato seed requirements. However, this reliance has presented several challenges in recent years. Farmers have experienced declining yields, and the plants have become increasingly susceptible to diseases and pest attacks. These issues have negatively impacted both agricultural productivity and the income of local farmers. Furthermore, the cost of transporting seeds from Punjab adds to the financial burden on the farmers.
To counter these problems, the Agriculture department is actively promoting the production of high-quality, disease-resistant potato seeds within the state. This will be achieved through cultivation in controlled net houses and seed farms across North Bengal. The target is to achieve full self-sufficiency by 2030, with 60 per cent of the 3 lakh metric tons of seeds allocated for North Bengal.
According to Additional Director Nikhil Karmakar, this is a “long-term initiative” with the goal of fully meeting the state’s demand with locally produced seeds within five years. He emphasized that “the new seeds will be more resilient to pest attacks and offer better yields”. The department has also consulted with experts from North Bengal Agricultural University and the International Potato Center for guidance on this initiative.
The move has been met with enthusiasm by local potato farmers. Hemant Barman, a potato grower from Mandalghat in the Jalpaiguri Sadar block, expressed his approval, stating, “There’s been a tradition of using seeds from Punjab, but we’ve learned that they’re not only costly but also highly susceptible to pests and reduce productivity. The transportation costs only add to the burden. Producing seeds locally will benefit farmers across the region”.
