Current Affairs

Nutrient-rich purple potato 'Kufri Jamunia' – anthocyanin-rich variety developed by ICAR-CPRI

18-10-2026 · English

Nutrient-rich purple potato 'Kufri Jamunia' – anthocyanin-rich variety developed by ICAR-CPRI

Topics: Agriculture · 18 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)

News

The purple potato variety 'Kufri Jamunia', developed by ICAR's Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI, Shimla), was highlighted on 18 Oct 2026 (New Delhi) as a nutrient-rich food to fight 'hidden hunger' (micronutrient deficiency). With dark purple skin and purple flesh, it was officially released in 2024 (one of 109 new crop varieties released by the PM on 11 Aug 2024). It has 42.05 mg anthocyanins per 100 g in the flesh and 80.66 mg in the skin; vitamin C about 42.75 mg; it is also richer in zinc and iron. Yield is 32–35 tonnes per hectare; recommended for the North Indian plains.

Key facts

VarietyKufri Jamunia – India's first purple-fleshed potato; medium maturing
DeveloperICAR-CPRI, Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)
AnthocyaninFlesh 42.05 mg/100 g; skin 80.66 mg/100 g
Other nutrientsVitamin C ~42.75 mg; zinc 2.28 mg; iron 3.22 mg (per 100 g)
Yield32–35 t/ha; ~90% marketable
Earlier coloured varietiesKufri Neelkanth (2018 – purple skin), Kufri Manik (2021 – red skin, yellow flesh)

Background

  • Potato (Solanum tuberosum) – family Solanaceae; the edible part is a stem tuber – its 'eyes' are nodal buds. Greened tubers form the toxin solanine. Origin: the Andes of South America (Peru–Bolivia); brought to India by the Portuguese.
  • Science: anthocyanins are water-soluble flavonoid pigments stored in the cell vacuole; red in acid, blue in alkali; antioxidants. Also found in jamun, brinjal and red cabbage. Biofortification – raising micronutrients in the crop itself through breeding.
  • Institutions: ICAR-CPRI – set up at Patna in Aug 1949, moved to Shimla in 1956, under ICAR since 1966. International Potato Center (CIP, a CGIAR centre) – Lima, Peru. UN 'International Day of Potato' – 30 May.
  • Economy–geography: India is the world's second-largest potato producer (China first); 2024–25 final estimate 585.71 lakh tonnes. Uttar Pradesh leads, followed by West Bengal and Bihar. In the plains it is a Rabi (winter) crop.

Tamil Nadu link: ICAR-CPRI's Central Potato Research Station has functioned at Muthorai near Udhagamandalam since 1957; the Nilgiris hills are TN's potato hub. A cyst-nematode-resistant variety it released in 1985 is still widely grown in the Nilgiris; the TN Government opposed a move to close the station in 2018. Kufri Jamunia is recommended only for the northern plains.

Source: New Delhi official feature, 18 Oct 2026 (via Konni Vartha); PotatoPro (Aug 2024); Wikipedia (CPRI); India.com/PTI (6 Dec 2018); IndianPotato.com (2024–25 output)

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