Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister, has approved the establishment of the CIP-South Asia Regional Center (CSARC) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, as a wing of the Peru-based International Potato Center (CIP). The center will cater to India and other South Asian nations to promote research and innovation in potato and sweet potato cultivation.
About CSARC (CIP–South Asia Regional Center)
- Location: Singna, Agra district, Uttar Pradesh
- Area Allocated: 10 hectares provided by the Uttar Pradesh government
- Estimated Cost: ₹171 crore
- India’s Contribution: ₹111.5 crore
- CIP’s Contribution: ₹60 crore
Purpose & Objectives
- Improve potato and sweet potato productivity
- Support food and nutritional security
- Boost farmers’ income and job creation
- Enhance post-harvest management and value addition
- Develop climate-resilient, disease-free and processing-suitable varieties
- Promote export potential and strengthen food processing industries
Why is this Move Important?
Global Rank of Crops:
- Potato: 3rd most available food crop (after rice & wheat)
- Sweet Potato: 6th (after maize & cassava)
India’s Production & Yield Gap:
- India is the 2nd largest producer (after China)
- Average Yield in India:
- Potato: 25 tonnes/ha (vs potential 50+ tonnes/ha)
- Sweet Potato: 11.5 tonnes/ha (vs potential 30 tonnes/ha)
- Reason: Shortage of high-quality seeds
Benefits of CSARC:
- Access to largest global germplasm collection with CIP
- Boost domestic seed production, reducing import dependency
- Strengthen India’s position as an exporter of processed potato/sweet potato products
About the International Potato Center (CIP)
- Headquarters: Lima, Peru
- Founded: 1971
- Focus: Potato, Sweet Potato, and other Andean tubers
- Operations: Active in South America, Africa, and Asia
- India Connection:
- Started in 1975 through cooperation with ICAR
- Works to enhance crop productivity, climate resilience, and nutrition
Previous & Similar Initiatives
CIP’s China Wing:
- CCCAP (China Center for Asia Pacific)
- Established in Yanqing, Beijing in 2017
India’s IRRI Centre:
- IRRI-SARC (International Rice Research Institute – South Asia Regional Center)
- Located in Varanasi, established in 2017
Other Indian Research Institutions:
- ICAR-CPRI (Shimla): Works on Potato
- ICAR-CTCRI (Thiruvananthapuram): Works on Sweet Potato and Tuber Crops
India’s Global Position in Potato Production
- Top Producer: China – 78.24 million tonnes (2020)
- 2nd Producer: India – 51.30 million tonnes (2020)
- Combined, both countries produce over 1/3rd of global production (~359.07 million tonnes)
- Top Producing States in India (2020–21):
- Uttar Pradesh – 15 million tonnes
- West Bengal – 15 million tonnes
- Bihar – 9 million tonnes
- Others: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab