The Tripura state government is making strides to enhance potato production by providing substantial financial and material assistance to farmers who adopt the ARC (Aeroponic Rooted Cutting) method of cultivation.
During a press conference at the Secretariat on November 6, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced that 6,000 farmers in Tripura will benefit from the scheme this year. Each farmer will receive Rs 2,000 in direct financial aid deposited into their bank accounts, along with agricultural materials valued at Rs 1,000. The total government expenditure for this program is estimated to be around Rs 1.8 crore.
Currently, there are approximately 23,700 farmers cultivating potatoes across 47,341 kanis of land in Tripura. Traditionally, these farmers have been able to produce 2,500–3,000 kg of potatoes per kani. However, with the implementation of the ARC method, yields have seen a significant increase to between 9,000 and 10,000 kg per kani.
Minister Nath shared the state’s ambitious goals for the future, aiming to achieve self-sufficiency in seed potato production by the 2028–29 financial year and full self-reliance in table potato production by 2029–30.
The ARC method was initially introduced on a pilot basis in 2023 with 100 farmers, showing promising results. Following its success, the number of farmers utilizing this method increased to 400 in 2024. This year, the government plans to extend support to 4,000 farmers under the RKBY project and an additional 2,000 farmers through the Watershed Management Project.
Minister Nath expressed confidence that this initiative will mark a new era in Tripura’s agricultural development, ultimately leading the state towards self-sufficiency in potato production.
