Santirbazar, March 5 (TIWN): Potato popularly known as ‘The king of vegetables’, has emerged as fourth most important food crop in Tripura after rice here in Tripura. Though, during the recent past the productivity of potato in Tripura has registered noticeable increase, but can this level be sustained or enhanced in future, is a matter of concern today.

Secondly, improved efforts to disseminate scientific crop husbandry practices, farmers’ friendly policies and improvement in marketing infrastructure aided in enhanced potato production in these states.

However there were some states like Tripura, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh which registered a negative growth in production.

While in Tripura and Tamil Nadu, decline in yield affected the production. This decline in growth in productivity in some states is due to decline in water table, non-judicious use of fertilizer and low soil fertility. Since further area increase is constrained, yield increasing measures must be developed to make potato an economically viable enterprise

Santirbazar agriculture department tried their best to produce more potato this year. Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR) in association with the state agriculture department organized many workshop to disseminate the modern technique for enhancing potato production and productivity in the state.

SDM Santirbazar visited many potato fields at Baikhora,Betaga,Jolaibari,Debdaru and lowgang areas under Santirbazar  for inspection, while talking to TIWN, SDM said he is fully satisfied regarding Potato production this year.