Farmers pledge to embrace scientific potato cultivation

Farmers, particularly potato growers from the Malerkotla and Ludhiana, pledged to focus on the implementation of scientific farming techniques and the cultivation of new, high-yielding potato varieties. They stated that this initiative would boost the economic status of agriculturists and contribute to the national food supply while addressing procurement issues related to paddy and wheat crops.

The pledge was made during the concluding session of the Potato Growers Meet, held at the E-Learning Studio in Raikot on Saturday. The event, which saw the participation of leading agricultural scientists, was called by Dr SS Gosal, Vice Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), and Dr Sat Pal Sharma, Principal Vegetable Scientist at PAU.

Dr Gosal highlighted that potato had become a staple food in many developed countries. They stressed that Punjab’s soil and climate were ideal for its cultivation. He urged farmers to take full advantage of the knowledge and technical support available through intensive research at PAU. “Punjab’s soil is most suitable for potato cultivation and our farmers have a natural instinct to explore new agricultural horizons,” Dr Gosal said.

Dr Gosal emphasised that Punjab was a hub for potato seed production, with several companies engaged in the industry. He stressed that the key to success in potato cultivation lied in the production of high-quality, genetically pure seeds. He noted that PAU’s seeds were high-yielding and suited to specific trade needs.

In addition, Dr Gosal explained that the university was pioneering speed breeding techniques to reduce the time it takes to develop new potato varieties from a decade to just 4-5 years. During the event, scientists addressed a range of issues raised by potato growers and seed producers in interactive sessions.