Pakistan, making a significant stride in agricultural production, has entered the list of the world's top ten potato producers. The country’s potato yield has seen a remarkable increase over the past three years, with production rising by more than 35% from 5.87 million tonnes in 2020-21 to an estimated 8.01 million tonnes in 2022-23. This achievement is largely attributed to the expansion of cultivation areas and the adoption of improved farming practices. As the potato harvest season draws to a close, it is projected that the country is on track to reap another bumper crop of over eight million tonnes. In the global potato production rankings for 2022, China led the way with a harvest of 95.6 million tonnes. India followed in second place with 56.1 million tonnes, while Ukraine, Russia, and the USA rounded out the top five. Germany, Bangladesh, and France also featured in the top ten, with Pakistan securing the ninth position.

Official data for 2022-23 shows that potatoes were cultivated on nearly 0.330 million hectares, yielding a total production of 7.94 million tonnes. This represents an increase of 1.9% over the previous year and 31.8% over the target. Potatoes have emerged as one of the high-yielding cash crops in Pakistan, following wheat, rice, and maize. Over the past decade, the crop has gained economic importance in the country, with a rapid increase in the area under cultivation. The average yield, despite these achievements, is still low at 23 tonnes per hectare compared to global standards. However, progressive farmers within the country have managed to double this average yield, indicating that a significant increase in per-hectare yield is possible with the right focus and resources.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)