Potato production has great promise in South Asia because of the region's diversified agro-climatic zones, ample labor supply, and rising need for food security and income diversification. Potatoes are a high-yield, short-duration crop that may be grown in both the summer and winter seasons in nations such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. The crop's tolerance to diverse altitudes, ranging from the plains of Punjab and West Bengal to the slopes of Nepal, makes it an excellent choice for intensive farming and crop rotation. Furthermore, increased urbanization and a shift in eating trends toward processed foods are driving up demand for potatoes in both fresh and processed forms.

Keeping this in mind, on 26 June 2025, the Indian  government approved a request to establish the South Asia regional center of the International Potato Center (CIP) in India. The CIP, headquartered in Lima, Peru, was created in 1971 as a research-for-development organization specializing in potato, sweet potato, and Andean roots and tubers.   The CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) would be established in Singna, Agra district, Uttar Pradesh, and will assist not just farmers in potato-belt states such as UP, Bihar, and West Bengal, but also South Asian nations.

An official statement reiterated that the main goal of this investment is to increase food and nutrition security, farmer income, and job creation by improving potato and sweet potato productivity, post-harvest management, and value-addition, after the Indian cabinet approved the proposal submitted by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. 

Boon For Small Farmers

For small and marginal farmers, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, the forthcoming facility would be a lifeline. By concentrating on better seed types, effective irrigation, and cold-chain storage systems, farmers may decrease crop losses and increase their profits. Furthermore, the emphasis on value-added goods like potato flour, chips, and starch will allow rural entrepreneurs to engage in processing and agri-startups, therefore connecting traditional agriculture to modern markets.

The total cost of the project would be 171 crore rupees, of which India will contribute 111 crore rupees and the CIP will fund the remaining 60 crore rupees equivalent. The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated 10 hectares of land for the proposed facility.

The cabinet decision came months after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wrote to Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on January 20 over the delay in establishing a CIP regional center in Agra. An agriculture ministry delegation, led by Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, recently visited Peru.

According to the government, India's potato industry has the potential to create major job opportunities in production, processing, packaging, transportation, marketing, and value chain, etc. CSARC will undertake the responsibility of untapping and exploring this potential successfully. Its high-yielding, nutrient-rich, and climate-resilient potato and sweet potato varieties will greatly accelerate the sustainable growth of the potato and sweet potato sectors via world-class research and innovation. 

Regional Agricultural Cooperation

Beyond India's boundaries, the CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC) might serve as a driving force for regional agricultural cooperation. South Asian countries have comparable soil characteristics, cropping cycles, and issues like climate change, insect control, and post-harvest management. CSARC's cross-border research, seed exchange, and cooperative training initiatives might boost food security networks across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. Agricultural specialists see such collaboration as a type of "crop diplomacy," aligned with larger frameworks such as SAARC and BIMSTEC, which promotes both scientific interchange and regional goodwill. This also aligns with India’s growing emphasis on agricultural innovation as a pillar of regional soft power, using technology and food security to foster cooperation rather than competition.

Climate resilience would remain a core pillar of this initiative. Potatoes, with their short growing cycle and adaptability to diverse altitudes, can be a sustainable alternative in regions facing erratic rainfall and soil stress. Integrating tuber crops with cereals and pulses not only conserves soil nutrients but also supports balanced diets and sustainable rural livelihoods.

India is the world's second-largest producer and consumer of potatoes, with 51.30 million tons harvested in 2020. China leads the way, producing 78.24 million tons of potatoes in 2020. Together, the two nations account for more than one-third of global potato output (359.07 MT).

China has already established its regional CIP center eight years ago, known as The China Center for Asia Pacific (CCCAP) in Yanqing, Beijing, which covers the whole East Asia and Pacific area.

Replicating Rice Research

Meanwhile, in India, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal top output in India, with 15 MT apiece in 2020-21, followed by Bihar (9 MT). Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab are the other major potato producers.

Currently, at least two distinct centers of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) focus on tuber crops. The ICAR-CPRI (Central Potato Research Institute) in Shimla works on potatoes, whilst the ICAR-CTCRI (Central Tuber Crops Research Institute) in Thiruvananthapuram works on sweet potato.

CSARC will be the second major international agricultural research center to begin operations. In 2017, the Indian agriculture ministry approved the development of a regional center for the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The IRRI-SARC is also based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

If implemented effectively, the Agra center could replicate the success of the IRRI in transforming research with regard to potatoes. It holds the promise of turning this popular crop from a humble staple into a strategic one, driving regional prosperity.

(The author is a postgraduate in political science with international relations from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at 20sagniks01@gmail.com)