"If new diseases and pests are introduced in the country, the entire potato production programme will have to be started afresh and even the true potato seed (TPS) technology which is expected to serve small and marginal farmers may fail", the committee on potato improvement and breeder seed production said.

The committee, which submitted its report to the minister of state for agriculture Sompal recently, said the present practice of importing potato germplasm and varieties for experimental purposes through the Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) should continue.

The report noted that there was tremendous pressure from private sector for bulk import of potato varieties for seed production in India and for processing purposes.

The material importedfrom Europe and other temperate areas of the world were likely to carry viruses in "latent micro quantities", difficult to detect, the committee, headed by Mahboob Zahedi said.

The committee said such imported material, when planted in Indian tropics/subtropics, results in rapid build up of viruses and other pathogens.

It said these varieties had not been found superior to the existing Indian varieties. There was no reason for bulk import particularly when CPRI has developed the varieties suitable for processing.

The committee suggested that farmers should be encouraged to grow these processing varieties which can be used by the industries within the country and can also be exported to the middle east for processing purposes.

The report said several middle east countries had been approaching CPRI to provide bulk produce of potato suitable for processing on a regular basis.

It noted that National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd (Nafed) and Agricultural and Processed Food Products'Export Development Authority (Apeda) have very limited activities in respect of potato marketing and export.

CPRI has developed potato varieties which can be harvested in 60 days with remunerative yields. Using these varieties, as many as four potato crops can be taken in the north-western plains and three crops in the north-central and north-eastern plains.