In News:

• On June 25, 2025, the Union Cabinet approved the establishment of the CIP-South Asia Regional Center (CSARC) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.
• The center will function as a regional wing of the International Potato Center (CIP) headquartered in Lima, Peru.

About CIP

• Founded: 1971
• Headquarters: Lima, Peru
• Focus Crops: Potato, Sweet Potato, and Andean roots & tubers
• Global Presence: South America, Africa, Asia
• India Operations: Since 1975, through partnership with ICAR

About CIP-South Asia Regional Center (CSARC)

• Location: Singna, Agra district, Uttar Pradesh
• Land Provided: 10 hectares (by UP Government)
• Total Project Cost: ?171 crore
  • Indian Contribution: ?111.5 crore
  • CIP Contribution: ?60 crore
• Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare

Objectives of the Center

• Improve productivity of potato and sweet potato
• Promote climate-resilient, disease-free varieties
• Enhance post-harvest management and value addition
• Boost domestic seed production
• Support exports and food processing industries
• Increase farmer income, employment, and nutritional security

Why is this Significant?

• Potato is the 3rd most consumed crop globally (after rice and wheat)
• Sweet potato ranks 6th globally (after maize and cassava)
• India is the 2nd largest producer and consumer of potato
• Current average yield in India:
  • Potato: ~25 tonnes/ha (Potential: >50 tonnes/ha)
  • Sweet Potato: ~11.5 tonnes/ha (Potential: ~30 tonnes/ha)
• Establishment of CSARC will:
  • Reduce dependency on seed imports
  • Improve access to global germplasm
  • Help bridge the yield gap

Global and National Context

• China is the largest potato producer (78.24 million tonnes, 2020)
• India is second (51.3 million tonnes, 2020)
• Top Potato-Producing States in India (2020–21):
  • Uttar Pradesh (~15 million tonnes)
  • West Bengal (~15 million tonnes)
  • Bihar (~9 million tonnes)

Related Agricultural Research Institutions in India

• ICAR-CPRI, Shimla – Potato research
• ICAR-CTCRI, Thiruvananthapuram – Sweet potato and tuber crops
• IRRI-SARC, Varanasi – Regional center of International Rice Research Institute

CIP Centers Outside Peru

• China Center for Asia-Pacific (CCCAP) – Established in 2017 in Beijing, China
• India's CSARC (Agra) will be the second major CIP center outside Peru