← 27 October 2026's Current Affairs · Science & Tech GA Prelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆
Kufri Jamunia: Centre promotes a fortified purple potato
Why in News?
A purple potato for hidden hunger: which ICAR institute breeds the Kufri series, and what biofortification means
Centre promotes Kufri Jamunia, a nutrient-rich purple potato, against hidden hunger.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 min read
The Centre is promoting Kufri Jamunia, a purple-skinned and purple-fleshed potato with higher levels of certain nutrients than regular potatoes.
Whether it can help with India's 'hidden hunger', the deficiency of micronutrients, is unclear given its production costs, pricing, market uptake and ability to deliver the nutrients.
Kufri varieties are bred by the ICAR potato research system.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- Kufri Jamunia is a purple-skinned, purple-fleshed potato promoted by the Centre
- It has higher levels of certain nutrients than regular potatoes
- Hidden hunger means micronutrient deficiency, even when calorie intake is adequate
- Kufri varieties are bred by the ICAR potato research system (ICAR-CPRI, Shimla)
- Open questions remain on its production cost, pricing, market uptake and nutrient delivery
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- Biofortification is breeding crops to raise their content of micronutrients such as iron, zinc or vitamins.
- Hidden hunger refers to micronutrient deficiency and is not the same as calorie undernutrition.
- The Kufri series of potato varieties has been developed by ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla.
- Purple-fleshed vegetables are typically rich in anthocyanin pigments, which act as antioxidants.
Mains
GS3 (Agriculture; Science and Technology) and GS2 (Nutrition). Hidden hunger persists despite food-grain sufficiency, and biofortified crops such as Kufri Jamunia offer a food-based remedy. Their success depends on production cost, pricing, farmer and consumer uptake and proven nutrient delivery, so the way forward is field trials, price support, procurement links with nutrition schemes and awareness.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Kufri varieties of potato, including the recently promoted Kufri Jamunia, are developed by:
- ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi
- ICAR-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack
- ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla
- ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram
Show answer
Answer: C — The correct answer is the ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, which has bred the Kufri series of varieties. The Central Tuber Crops Research Institute works on tropical tuber crops such as cassava and sweet potato.
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