Kufri Chipsona (processing)
Bred specifically for the chips and processing industry, often sold on contract in several tracts at a premium over table-potato price.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Potato
- Type
- Planting material
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 100–110 days
- Seed rate
- 13–18 quintals of 40–50 g seed tubers per acre. Processing contracts turn on tuber size and grade, so uniform seed matters more here than in a table crop
- Expected yield
- 280–320 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- Moderate
- Release
- ICAR-CPRI (Central Potato Research Institute), Shimla — Kufri Chipsona-1 and Kufri Chipsona-2 released together in 1998 (India's first processing potato varieties), followed by Kufri Chipsona-3 in 2005
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
Kufri Chipsona is the name shared by a family of processing potato varieties — Kufri Chipsona-1 and Kufri Chipsona-2, India's first two dedicated chip-processing potato varieties, released together by ICAR-CPRI (Central Potato Research Institute), Shimla, in 1998, followed by the higher-yielding Kufri Chipsona-3 in 2005. These varieties were purpose-bred for the chipping industry with high dry matter (21–24%), low reducing sugars (under 0.1% fresh-weight basis), low phenols and low glycoalkaloids — traits that keep chip colour light and defects minimal — typically yielding over 30 t/ha.
Should you pick this variety?
Pick Kufri Chipsona if you grow potato for chips or crisps and have a processor lined up, often on contract at a premium over table-potato price. It was bred for high dry matter (21–24%) and low reducing sugars, which keep chip colour light. It takes 100–110 days. If you only sell on the table market, Kufri Jyoti or Kufri Bahar is the better fit. This entry covers the whole Chipsona family, not one number, so ask CPRI or your processor for figures on Chipsona-1, -2 or -3.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeLast week of September to mid-October for the autumn crop. A processing crop is worth planting on the early side of that window so the tubers size up before the cold (PAU)
- Seed rate13–18 quintals of 40–50 g seed tubers per acre. Processing contracts turn on tuber size and grade, so uniform seed matters more here than in a table crop
- SpacingRidges 60 cm apart, tubers 20 cm apart. Machine planting at 65 x 18.5 cm or 75 x 15 cm
- Sowing methodPlant on ridges with the seed treated against black scurf, and earth up 25–30 days later. Skin blemishes cost you grade in a processing lot, so handle the seed and the ridges carefully
- IrrigationFirst irrigation right after planting, then 7 to 8 light ones. Steady moisture matters here: on-off watering gives misshapen tubers and hollow heart, both rejected at the factory gate
- FertilizerPer acre: 20 tonnes farmyard manure, 75 kg N (165 kg urea), 25 kg P2O5 (155 kg single superphosphate) and 25 kg K2O (40 kg muriate of potash). All P and K and half the N at planting, the rest at earthing up. Do not push nitrogen past this — extra N lowers dry matter, which is exactly what a chip buyer pays for (PAU)
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- This entry covers the Kufri Chipsona family in general, not one numbered variety (Chipsona-1, 2 or 3). Yield, dry matter and disease response differ a little between the numbers, so if you need exact figures for one number, treat this as a family overview.
- No disease-resistance data specific to the Chipsona family was found, so the "Moderate" rating shown above is a working estimate.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Uttar Pradesh
- Punjab
- Gujarat
Growing on contract for a chips buyer
Chipsona potatoes are usually grown on contract, and the contract, not the mandi, sets your price. Before you plant, get the terms in writing and read the parts that decide what is actually accepted.
Five questions settle most disputes later. Which Chipsona number does the company want, since 1, 2 and 3 differ a little? What tuber size and quality does it accept, and what is deducted for undersize, cut, greened or diseased tubers? Who supplies the seed, and at what price against your payment? When is the lifting window, and who bears the loss if the company delays collection? And when is payment due? Keep your own record of what you delivered on each date, because a dispute about weight or grade is argued from paperwork, not memory.
Can you keep your own planting material?
This crop is grown from tubers, so your own field can supply next season. Keep medium-sized, firm tubers from healthy plants, store them cool and dark, and throw out anything soft or rotting — the disease travels inside the tuber. Replace your stock with certified planting material every few seasons, because virus builds up quietly year after year.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Potato variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kufri Bahar | Dual-purpose potato for good-input northern plains farms | 90–100 days | 300–350 q/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, West Bengal |
| Kufri Chipsona (processing)this page | Chips and crisps, usually grown on contract | 100–110 days | 280–320 q/ha | Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat |
| Kufri Jyoti | Safe default potato, even with low inputs | 90–100 days | 250–300 q/ha | Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Punjab |
| Kufri Pukhraj | Early, low-input potato for quick lifting | 70–80 days | 300–350 q/ha | Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Potato is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Potato plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Potato variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Potato into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Potato rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Potato seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Who released Kufri Chipsona and when?
ICAR-CPRI, Shimla, released Kufri Chipsona-1 and Kufri Chipsona-2 together in 1998 — India's first dedicated chip-processing potato varieties — followed by Kufri Chipsona-3 in 2005.
What makes Kufri Chipsona good for making chips?
High dry matter (21–24%), low reducing sugars, low phenols and low glycoalkaloids — this combination keeps fried chip colour light and defects minimal, exactly what processors need.
Is Kufri Chipsona-1, -2 or -3 the same variety?
No. They are related but separate numbered releases from the same CPRI breeding programme. This is a family overview rather than the exact figures of one number.
How much yield can Kufri Chipsona give?
Typically more than 30 t/ha (300+ q/ha).
Why does Kufri Chipsona sell at a premium over table potatoes?
Because processors need its low-reducing-sugar, high-dry-matter tubers to make good chips, and they are willing to contract-buy at a premium to secure a steady supply.
Should I grow Kufri Chipsona without a buyer?
It is not wise. The premium over table potato comes from processors, and these tubers are bred for chips, not for the table market. Line up a processor or a contract before you plant.
Which Kufri Chipsona should I choose: 1, 2 or 3?
Chipsona-1 and Chipsona-2 were released together in 1998. Chipsona-3 followed in 2005 and yields more. Yield and disease response differ a little between the numbers, so ask your processor which one it accepts before you buy seed.
How long does Kufri Chipsona hold the field?
100–110 days, the longest of the four potatoes compared here. Kufri Pukhraj clears in 70–80 days. If your field has to be free early for the next crop, that month is a real cost to set against the processing premium.
Can I use my own Kufri Chipsona tubers as seed next year?
For a season or two, yes, if the crop was healthy. After that, virus builds up in farm-saved tubers and both the yield and the chip quality drop, which a processing buyer notices before you do. Buy fresh certified seed every second or third year.
Sourced from: Package of Practices for Vegetable Crops, Punjab Agricultural University: potato planting dates, seed rate, spacing, fertiliser and irrigation for processing varieties. editorial policy.