PepsiCo to increase contract acreage for potato

PepsiCo India is planning to increase the acreage of its contract farming for potato to 7,200 acre from the current level of 5000 acre.

"FritoLay is the fastest growing brand in our stable of six brands, and will remain so for some time," Manu Anand, managing director of PepsiCo's FritoLay division, said.

The company sells six brands in India including FritoLay, Kurkure, Uncle Chipps, Cheetos, Lehar Namkeen and Quaker Oats, which it introduced  a little over two months ago.

Anand said the Pune plant, which predominantly makes FritoLay chips, has seven production lines with a total capacity of 40,000 tonne. As the capacities in Pune is fully utilised, additional production of chips will be in the company's West Bengal plant, he added.

PepsiCo has been engaged in contract farming of potatoes in six Indian states - Punjab, Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.