Punjab potatoes to find place in European kitchens

Chandigarh, Sep 6 (UNI) Markfed, the first cooperative in India to have attained EurepGAP (Good Agricultural Practices) Certification for potato crop, is now looking forward to exporting potatoes to the European Union by 2008.

With EurepGAP compliant farmers coming forward to register themselves with Markfed and with support being rendered by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the potato growers in this border state may get to trade in euros.

The Union Agriculture Ministry has given a grant of Rs 58 lakh to PAU for carrying out necessary research and data collection for phytosanitary requirements. Under this project, PAU is training the farmers in phytosanitary requirements, so as to enable them to produce quality potatoes and other crops that would be acceptable in internationla markets.

According to a Markfed spokesman, the cooperative shall also give the requisite support to the farmers for exporting potatoes to the nearby markets including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Maldives next year and the EU in 2008.

Markfed having been appointed State Nodal Agency for potato export has already taken various initiatives to enhance productivity and quality as also to provide access to international markets including training to farmers on crop production and disbursement of freight subsidy to the farmers for out-of-state sales/exports.

In order to promote export of potatoes to European Union, EurepGAP certification programme was organised for progressive potato growers of Jalandhar and Kapurthala districts jointly by Markfed and PAU. About 55 farmers were registered under EurepGAP certification programme in its first phase.

Foodcert India Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, accredited by FoodCert BV, Netherlands, has been appointed as the certification body, for issuance of certificates to the farmers registered under EurepGAP.

Currently the production of potatoes in Punjab is 14.40 Lakh MTs and the area under production is 71,900 hectares.

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