Muhammad Luqman

Scientists at the Potato Research Institute (PRI), Sahiwal, are working to develop potato varieties capable of withstanding smoggy and foggy conditions, which are believed to have caused nearly a 20% decline in potato production across Punjab. According to the Punjab Agriculture Department, potatoes are cultivated on nearly one million acres in the province, with average annual production of around nine million tons. However, changing climatic conditions and rising smog levels have increasingly affected crop yields.

“Smog and frost are highly detrimental to potato crop growth. We are currently working on several smog-tolerant potato lines to address the decline in productivity,” said Dr Syed Ijazul Hassan, Director of the Potato Research Institute, Sahiwal, in an interview with Wealth Pakistan. He said multiple factors, including rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns and reduced water availability, have contributed to falling potato output.

Smog, he explained, inhibits photosynthesis, promotes the spread of diseases such as blight and lowers overall tuber quality. Other diseases affecting potato crops in Punjab include Potato Leafroll Virus (PLRV), Potato Virus Y (PVY), mosaic virus, early blight, brown leaf spot, Rhizoctonia, common scab and black leg. Dr Ijazul Hassan said PRI has already developed 12 fog-tolerant, high-yielding potato varieties and is now focusing on smog-tolerant lines.

Locally developed varieties include PRI-Red, Ruby, Sadaf, Sahiwal Red, Sahiwal White, Ravi, Punjab, Sutlej, Kashmir, Sialkot Red, Ijaz-22 and Cosmo. Imported seed varieties currently used by farmers include Constance, Kuroda, Esmee, Rudolph, Alouette, Emanuelle, Fabula, Felsina (for fries), Franceline, Frisia, Sababa, Alverstone Russet, Hermosa, Allison, Desiree, Cardinal and Diamant.

“Among locally produced varieties, Ijaz-22 is a smog-specific potato that has successfully tolerated smoggy conditions in Punjab,” the PRI director said. He added that PRI produced 60,000 kilograms (60 tons) of potato seed this year, of which 4,550 kilograms (4.55 tons) were distributed among farmers. However, the non-availability of quality-certified local seed in bulk remains a major challenge, forcing growers to rely heavily on costly imported seed and pushing up production expenses.

Dr Ijazul Hassan also stressed that integrated pest management and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices could help reduce the adverse effects of smog on potato crops. Meanwhile, potato growers expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of varietal development in the country.

“Pakistani research institutes and agricultural universities have failed to provide high-yielding, disease-resistant potato varieties over the past 78 years,” said Chaudhary Maqsood Ahmad Jatt, Vice Chairman of the Potato Growers Cooperative Society. Talking to Wealth Pakistan, he said most potato seed is imported from the Netherlands, making cultivation increasingly expensive for farmers.

He also noted that the suspension of Pakistan-Afghanistan trade has severely hit potato exports. “Cold storage facilities are full of potatoes, while the new crop has already arrived in the market,” he said. Jatt said Pakistan could export potatoes to at least 37 countries with effective marketing strategies, adding that China could be a key destination for Pakistani potatoes between January and April.

He emphasized the need to promote value addition, urging that potatoes be exported in processed forms, such as powder, starch and chips, to prevent oversupply, stabilize prices and reduce losses for growers. He also suggested providing farmers with post-harvest training at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) in Faisalabad.

Credit: INP-WealthPk