Potato Cultivation in Punjab

Potato is a major vegetable crop cultivated on more than 89993 ha area with annual production of 22.6 Lakhs tonnes in the Punjab state (Deptt. of Horticulture, Punjab 2014-15), most of which is meant for seed production. The major potato growing districts are of Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Bathinda and Fatehgarh Sahib. Its cultivation is also picking up in south-western districts like Bathinda, Moga and Faridkot. Commonly grown varieties are Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Badshah, Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Chipsona-1 and Kufri Jawahar. Among various diseases affecting potato crop in Punjab, late blight caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans is the most destructive disease that can cause huge economic losses under congenial weather conditions. While Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Ashoka and Kufri Bahar are susceptible, others are moderately resistant to late blight under Punjab conditions.

Area and Production of Potato Crop in major potato growing districts of Punjab during 2014-15*

Department of Horticulture, Punjab, 2014-15*