The land that once turned every potato seed into gold is now sending out silent signals seeking help. Across Gujarat’s famous potato belt, farmers have begun noticing a slow but worrying shift. Yields have dipped, the average tuber size has reduced and the once-known for uniform potatoes now show more variation in shape and quality. In processing units too, rejections are rising due to poor skin finish, uneven fry colour, and internal defects. Beneath these visible signs, the real problem lies unseen — “in the soil”. Soil scientists and agronomists in the region point to a combination of factors behind this decline. Continuous monocropping of potatoes, intensive irrigation and heavy dependence on chemical fertilizers. Over time, these practices have disturbed the natural balance of thesoil, increasing alkalinity and reducing the presence of organic carbon and microbial activity that are essential for plant growth. Understanding these challenges and with a view to tackle the problem head-on, HyFarm the agri-b siness unit of HyFun Foods, India’s largest processor of potatoes into French Fries and potato specialities has launched a “Soil Stewardship Drive” to assess and improve soil health in the state’s potato-growing districts.
