Kathmandu: The Second Potato Summit 2025, organized by the Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), focused on seed value chain optimization, market development, potato processing opportunities, and private sector engagement. Ram Nath Adhikari, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development, inaugurated the summit and delivered the inaugural remarks. He expressed the government’s commitment to supporting the potato sector through policy reforms and incentives for investment in processing technologies.
Minister Adhikari informed that we have 16 potato zones and two super zones to promote productivity and enhance livelihood of local farmers but the demand of potato farmers for setting up the potato zone is high. Since various technology and developments in potato seed is in practice now, he said, we need to focus even more into find out the appropriate seeds. Kusum Devi Thapa, Chairperson of the Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Natural Resources Committee of Federal Parliament, emphasized the potential of potato processing in adding value to the crop. She encouraged investment in processing technologies to diversify potato products and expansion of market opportunities both domestically and internationally.
Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma, Secretary at MoALD. also informed that the Ministry has worked on the adaptation of the declaration of 1st Potato Summit which was organized last year and few recommendations have already been addressed and the Ministry is working on to address those remaining issues. He further highlighted the government’s initiatives to support market development.
Ken Shimizu, FAO Country Representative for Bhutan and Nepal, highlighted the importance of understanding market trends and consumer preferences. He emphasized that the Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HiHI) has identified Highland Potato as a priority commodity, aiming to catalyze investment and spatially targeted interventions for inclusive rural development. This initiative supports the Government of Nepal’s efforts to enhance food and nutrition security, promote sustainability, bolster resilience, and foster rural development.
Garima Nautiyal, Second Secretary (Development Partnership and Political) at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, underscored the significance of international cooperation in enhancing seed quality and disease management. She expressed India’s commitment to supporting Nepal in strengthening its seed sector through knowledge sharing and technical assistance.
Keynote speaker of the Summit SP Singh, Vice President of Supply Chain at Technico Agriscience Ltd (ITC’s subsidiary), shared insights from India’s experience in seed potato production. He noted that India has developed approximately 65 potato varieties tailored to various micro-markets, contributing to its status as the second-largest potato producer globally. He said India used to import potato from various countries in the past whereas India has become the major potato exporter as it exports potato in 37 countries now.
Experts discussed the adoption of improved seed varieties, the critical role of cold storage in reducing post-harvest losses, and the importance of targeted financing to enhance the potato value chain. During the panel discussion of the local governments’ role in strengthening the potato value chain at the grassroots level, the representatives shared community-based initiatives and support for farmers to improve production and marketing. The summit emphasized the importance of promoting crop insurance as a risk reduction strategy in potato farming, significance of insurance in protecting farmers from losses due to pests, diseases, and climatic events. Furthermore, the role of financial institutions in supporting the potato sector through loans and investment in infrastructure for investing in scalable agribusiness models to strengthen the potato value chain, emphasizing the importance of strategic investments in processing, storage, and marketing to enhance the competitiveness of Nepal’s potato sector, was also discussed.
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