International Potato Center (CIP) South Asia Regional Center in Agra

Discover the International Potato Center (CIP) South Asia Regional Center in Agra, a hub for potato research, innovation, and sustainable agriculture.

Context: The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has urged the Union Agriculture Ministry to expedite the establishment of the International Potato Center – South Asia Regional Center (CIP-SARC) in Agra.

Importance of CIP-SARC for India and South Asia

Agra is part of India’s major ‘potato belt’, along with Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
A CIP center in India would benefit Indian farmers and other South Asian countries by:
- Developing new climate-resilient and disease-free potato varieties.
- Supporting scientific research and global innovation in potato farming.
- Strengthening the processing and export capabilities of Indian farmers.
China established a similar centre in 2017 in Yanqing, Beijing, which supports East Asia and the Pacific region.

India’s Existing Potato and Tuber Research Centers

ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI), Shimla – Specializes in potato research.
ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI), Thiruvananthapuram – Specializes in sweet potato research.

International Potato Center (CIP)

CIP is a Peru-based research-for-development organization. It was founded in 1971 (HQ – Lima, Peru).
It focuses on:
- Potato and sweet potato research.
- Andean roots and tubers (native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes in South America).
The CIP-SARC in Agra will be the second major international agricultural research centre in India.
In 2017, the Agriculture Ministry supported the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute-South Asia Regional Center (IRRI-SARC) in Varanasi.

Potato Production

Top Potato Producing Countries: (1) China (2) India (3) Russia.
- China and India together account for over one-third of global potato production.
Top Potato Producing States in India: (1) UP (2) West Bengal (3) Bihar.