Kufri Jamunia: India’s Biofortified Purple Potato

Kufri Jamunia is a biofortified potato variety developed by the ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI) in Shimla and officially released in 2024. It has dark purple skin and purple flesh, and is intended for cultivation in the North Indian plains. Its nutrients include anthocyanins, vitamin C, carotenoids, iron and zinc.

Variety and Nutritional Traits

Biofortification is the process of increasing the nutritional content of crops, including through plant breeding. Anthocyanins are pigments in the flavonoid group that give certain plant tissues red, purple or blue colour. In Kufri Jamunia, the purple pigment occurs in both the skin and flesh. The coloured flesh distinguishes it from earlier ICAR-CPRI varieties Kufri Neelkanth and Kufri Manik. Kufri Neelkanth, released in 2018, has purple skin and cream-coloured flesh, while Kufri Manik, released in 2021, has red skin and yellow flesh. In Kufri Jamunia, purple flesh means that the coloured tissue is not confined to the peel.

Cultivation and Yield

Kufri Jamunia is a medium-maturing variety with a crop duration of about 90–100 days. Under recommended cultivation practices, its yield potential is 32–35 tonnes per hectare; trials have recorded yields of up to 49 tonnes per hectare. The variety is recommended for the North Indian plains, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Its recommendation follows stable performance in multi-location trials. These trials assess crop performance across more than one location.

Storage and Seed Availability

Kufri Jamunia has a moderate dormancy period of 6–8 weeks and good storability. Dormancy is the period after harvest when a potato tuber does not readily sprout. The variety’s storage characteristics are associated with reduced early sprouting and post-harvest weight loss. Certified seed was scarce in April 2026 following the variety’s recent introduction. Field disease resistance and nutrient retention under different Indian cooking methods remain areas requiring assessment.

Important Facts for Exams

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• Potato is a tuber crop belonging to the nightshade family, Solanaceae.
• ICAR-CPRI is headquartered in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh.
• Anthocyanins are water-soluble pigments found in many plants.
• Potato tubers are modified underground stems used for food storage and vegetative propagation.

Kufri Jamunia was officially released in 2024, with a recommended crop duration of 90–100 days. Its recommended cultivation zone includes the North Indian plains.