Pepsico boosts sugar-free potato farming

Pepsico India Holding Private Ltd has increased the area under sugar-free potato cultivation by more than 30 per cent this fiscal.

"Having registered a growth rate of 25 per cent, the company aims to increase the area under sugar-free potato cultivation at the same rate. Last fiscal, the area covered under contract farming of sugar-free potatoes in Punjab was around 4,000 acres, which increased to 5,500 acres this year," a company spokesperson said.

"Besides some parts of Haryana, Himachal and Uttar Pradesh, the company is doing contract farming of sugar-free potatoes in Maharashtra and Karnataka as well," he said, adding that the area under contract farming of sugar-free potatoes had increased from 1000 acres last year to 2000 acres this fiscal in Maharashtra."

"In Karnataka, the cultivated area has increased by 50 per cent from last year. In 2004-05, area covered under contract farming of sugar free potato was around 1,000 acres, while in this crop season, it has increased to 1,500 acres," the spokesman added.

"Pepsico started this project in 1989, when it was still importing sugar-free potatoes," the spokesman said, adding that it took six years for the R&D wing of the company to develop seeds of sugar-free potato varities for different climatic zone of the country."

"It is always better to engage in contract farming for assured quality, price stability, and regular supply of raw material. Moreover, our offer is quite competitive for potato growers," he added.