Purple potato to tackle India's hidden hunger
To combat 'hidden hunger', India's CPRI developed 'Kufri Jamunia', a purple potato variety rich in essential nutrients and anthocyanin, aiming to improve public health and nutritional security through better dietary intake.
To combat 'hidden hunger', India's CPRI developed 'Kufri Jamunia', a purple potato variety rich in essential nutrients and anthocyanin, aiming to improve public health and nutritional security through better dietary intake.
To combat 'hidden hunger', India's CPRI developed 'Kufri Jamunia', a purple potato variety rich in essential nutrients and anthocyanin, aiming to improve public health and nutritional security through better dietary intake.
You may be eating enough to keep hunger at bay, but is your body getting all the nutrients it needs? This is the paradox of ‘hidden hunger’, in which the body lacks essential nutrients despite adequate food intake. In a bid to tackle this silent nutritional crisis, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI) has developed a purple potato variety named ‘Kufri Jamunia’. What causes hidden hunger, and what makes this new potato special? Let's take a closer look.
What is hidden hunger?
It occurs when the body does not get the essential nutrients it needs, even when a person eats enough to feel full. The condition often goes unnoticed because it weakens the body from within without causing obvious symptoms. Even those who eat three meals a day can be affected.
Deficiencies of essential nutrients such as vitamins, iron, zinc and iodine are the main cause. Unbalanced diets comprising largely rice, fast food, junk food and processed grains, with little fruit, vegetables, leafy greens or nuts, can contribute to the problem. The consequences can be serious, particularly for children, whose immunity may weaken, making them more vulnerable to illnesses. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are also at risk of complications. Studies indicate that nearly 80% of India's population suffers from some form of nutritional deficiency.
How does hidden hunger manifest itself?
Hidden hunger can take different forms, depending on the nutrients the body lacks. Deficiencies of iron, zinc, calcium and iodine can affect the body's immune system, while a lack of vitamins A, D and B12 can lead to various health problems. Inadequate intake of these essential nutrients has thus emerged as a major public health concern.
How can purple potatoes help combat hidden hunger?
The scale of hidden hunger in India is particularly worrying among children. The latest National Family Health Survey findings show that malnutrition remains a major concern. Although stunting among children below five has declined, 31.8% remain underweight. Among children aged six to 23 months, only 15.3% receive an adequate diet. These children are not necessarily going hungry. Rather, their diets fail to provide the essential nutrients needed for healthy growth. This is where Kufri Jamunia could make a difference.
What is Kufri Jamunia?
This specially developed purple potato could give a major boost to India's agricultural sector and nutritional programmes. Both its skin and flesh are dark purple, and its colour remains unchanged even after peeling, boiling or frying. The variety contains higher levels of vitamin C, iron and zinc than sweet potatoes. Its distinctive purple colour comes from anthocyanin, a natural pigment.
Figures indicate that replacing regular potatoes with Kufri Jamunia in the diet can help improve nutrient intake. Anthocyanin helps slow certain effects of ageing, lower blood pressure and improve heart health. It may also help reduce inflammation and regulate insulin production. The vitamin C and carotenoids in the potato, meanwhile, support eye health and may help protect against conditions such as cataracts.
Is Kufri Jamunia India's first such effort?
No. ICAR-CPRI has already developed other coloured potato varieties, including Kufri Neelkanth and Kufri Manik.
How is it cultivated?
According to ICAR-CPRI, Kufri Jamunia grows well in the northern, central and eastern plains of the country. The crop is ready for harvesting within 90 to 100 days. With proper crop management, it can yield 32 to 35 tonnes per hectare. Trials at research centres have recorded yields of up to 49 tonnes per hectare within 90 days. Significantly, nearly 90% of the harvested potatoes in these trials met the required quality standards.
It can be stored at room temperature for six to eight weeks without spoiling. Purple potatoes are expected to play a significant role in strengthening the country's nutritional security. However, it is not yet clear when quality seeds of the variety will become available to ordinary farmers. Experts also point out that these purple potatoes could command a higher price when they hit the market.