Gujarat becomes fourth-largest potato producer in India, sowing up by 13% this season

Gujarat is poised for a strong potato harvest this year, with sowing rising by 13% during the ongoing Rabi season. The state now contributes 40–50 lakh tonnes to India’s total annual potato output of around 600 lakh tonnes, placing it fourth after Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar. India remains the world’s second-largest potato producer after China.

According to newly released data, Gujarat is midway through the Rabi sowing period and has already completed 66% of the season’s plantation across 30.61 lakh hectares. Potato cultivation, which stood at 1.25 lakh hectares at this point last year, has increased to 1.48 lakh hectares and may touch 1.60 lakh hectares due to favourable conditions.

Last year, Gujarat’s potato production rose by 7 lakh tonnes, reaching a record 50.80 lakh tonnes. In 2023–24, sowing covered 1.34 lakh hectares and yielded 43 lakh tonnes, while the following year saw 1.56 lakh hectares under potato, producing the record output.

Banaskantha and Sabarkantha continue to dominate potato acreage in the state, followed by Aravalli, Gandhinagar, Patan and Mehsana. In contrast, Central Gujarat recorded only 4,600 hectares of potato sowing, while Dwarka district in Saurashtra reported 600 hectares.

With sowing still underway and weather conditions largely favourable, officials expect the state to register another robust potato crop this year.