Stories
Kufri Jamuniya: Meet The Nutrient-Packed Purple Potato Fighting Hidden Hunger
- •Scientists are developing biofortified crops to combat hidden hunger caused by a lack of essential vitamins and minerals in daily diets.
- •The Central Potato Research Institute has developed nutrient-rich purple potato varieties including Kufri Neelkanth, Kufri Manik, and Kufri Jamuniya.
- •Released in 2024, Kufri Jamuniya features a completely purple interior and is rich in anthocyanins, vitamin C, and carotenoids.
- •It offers high levels of zinc and iron, significantly outperforming regular yellow potatoes in nutritional value.
- •The variety provides a good yield of 32-35 tonnes per hectare, has a long dormancy period, and resists quick rotting during storage.
Key Questions Answered
Biofortification is the process of increasing vitamins and minerals within a crop while it is being grown. This provides continuous nutritional security at a low cost by ensuring people get essential micronutrients directly from the food they eat every day.
Released in 2024, Kufri Jamuniya features an attractive, completely purple interior and is rich in anthocyanins, carotenoids, and vitamin C. It has a medium duration, a high marketable yield, and a dormancy period of 6 to 8 weeks that prevents quick sprouting and rotting in storage.
Kufri Neelkanth was released in 2018 as the country's first purple-skinned potato, suited for several states in North India with high antioxidant levels. Kufri Manik was introduced in 2021, featuring round tubers with dark red skin, a yellow interior, and high amounts of anthocyanins, zinc, and iron.
