Science and technology
Biofortified Crops and Kufri Jamunia Purple Potato
GS3 Agriculture and Food SecurityGS3 Science and TechnologyPrelims and Mains
- Why in news
- On 18 October 2026, PIB issued a backgrounder on Kufri Jamunia, a biofortified purple-fleshed potato from ICAR-CPRI, as a tool against hidden hunger.
- What it is
- Kufri Jamunia is a purple-fleshed, biofortified potato variety bred by ICAR-CPRI. It carries more vitamin C, anthocyanins, carotenoids, zinc and iron than common potato. It is recommended for the North Indian plains.
- Developer
- ICAR-CPRI developed the coloured potato varieties Kufri Neelkanth, Kufri Manik and Kufri Jamunia.
- Biofortification vs fortification
- Biofortification builds nutrients into the crop through plant breeding. Fortification adds nutrients during food processing.
- Hidden hunger
- It is a lack of vitamins and minerals even when people eat enough food.
- Yield
- Kufri Jamunia gives 32-35 tonnes per hectare under recommended practices.
- Neelkanth
- Kufri Neelkanth was the first purple-skinned specialty potato of ICAR-CPRI, released in 2018.
Don’t confuse with Biofortification vs fortification: Biofortification improves nutrients in the crop itself by breeding. Fortification adds nutrients to food during processing.
Don’t confuse with Kufri Neelkanth vs Kufri Jamunia: Neelkanth is purple-skinned and was released in 2018. Jamunia is purple-fleshed and was released in 2024.
Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.
Why it matters
- Biofortified crops address hidden hunger through everyday foods, sustainably and at low cost.
- Good yield and storage quality make the variety usable by farmers as well as consumers.
Problems
- Farmers and consumers need awareness, and seed supply must reach them.
- The variety is recommended only for the North Indian plains.
Way forward
- Scale up quality seed production and extension in suitable states.
- Promote processed products and market linkages for purple potato.
Put in your answer
Biofortification as an approach: It is a sustainable and cost-effective way to improve nutrition in commonly eaten foods.
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UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Biofortification is a standing concept on the syllabus (sci_tech is 17% of news-linked Prelims questions), but this release gives no fresh hook for a question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.