CIP-South Asia Regional Centre (CSARC), Agra | 26 Jun 2025

Why in News?

The government has approved the establishment of the South Asia regional center of the Peru-based International Potato Center (CIP) in Singna, Agra district, Uttar Pradesh.

  • The CIP regional centre in India will cater to both domestic farmers and those in other South Asian countries.

Key Points

  • Objective: The primary objective of the project is to enhance food and nutrition security, increase farmers' income, and generate employment by improving potato and sweet potato productivity, post-harvest management, and value addition.
  • Project Cost: The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated 10 hectares of land for the proposed centre.
    • The total cost of the project is ₹171 crore, with India contributing ₹111 crore and the CIP (International Potato Center) providing ₹60 crore. 
    • Impact on Employment: India’s potato sector holds significant potential for job creation in areas such as production, processing, packaging, transportation, marketing, and the broader value chain.
  • Innovation: The CSARC (Central Potato and Sweet Potato Research Centre) will develop high-yielding, nutrient-rich, and climate-resilient varieties of potatoes and sweet potatoes, which will accelerate sustainable development not only in India but also across South Asia through world-class scientific research and innovation.
  • India’s Potato Production: India is the second-largest producer and consumer of potatoes globally, with a production of 51.30 million tonnes in 2020. 
    • Together, India and China account for more than one-third of the global potato production, which totaled 359.07 million tonnes in 2020.
  • Key Producing States in India: Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal lead potato production, each contributing 15 million tonnes in 2020-21. 
    • Bihar produces 9 million tonnes, with Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab also being significant contributors.

Related Institutions

  • International Potato Center (CIP): It was founded in 1971, is headquartered in Lima, Peru, and focuses on potato, sweet potato, and Andean roots and tubers.
    • China established the China Center for Asia Pacific (CCCAP) in Yanqing, Beijing, in 2017 to serve the East Asia and Pacific region.
  • Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) operates two institutions focusing on tuber crops: ICAR-CPRI (Central Potato Research Institute) in Shimla, which works on potatoes, and ICAR-CTCRI (Central Tuber Crops Research Institute) in Thiruvananthapuram, which focuses on sweet potatoes.
  • Other Agricultural Centre Establishment: In 2017, the Ministry of Agriculture supported the establishment of a regional centre for the Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Varanasi, India.