Agartala, Nov 6: In a significant push to enhance potato production, the Tripura government has announced extensive financial and material assistance for farmers adopting the Aeroponic Rooted Cutting (ARC) method of cultivation.
Addressing the media at the State Secretariat, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath said that 6,000 farmers across Tripura will receive support under the scheme this year. Each farmer will get ₹2,000 in direct financial aid deposited into their bank accounts, along with agricultural materials worth ₹1,000, bringing the government’s total expenditure to around ₹1.8 crore.
Currently, around 23,700 farmers cultivate potatoes across 47,341 kanis of land in the state. Traditionally, the yield per kani has ranged between 2,500 and 3,000 kg, but the introduction of the ARC method has dramatically boosted productivity to 9,000–10,000 kg per kani, the minister said.
Minister Nath outlined the government’s ambitious plan to make Tripura self-sufficient in seed potato production by 2028–29 and achieve complete self-reliance in table potato production by 2029–30.
The ARC technique, first introduced on a pilot basis in 2023 with 100 farmers, delivered promising results. Encouraged by the success, the number of beneficiaries rose to 400 farmers in 2024. This year, the initiative will reach 4,000 farmers under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) project and another 2,000 through the Watershed Management Project.
Expressing optimism, Minister Nath said the expanded ARC scheme will “open a new chapter in Tripura’s agricultural development” and significantly reduce dependence on imported potatoes. He added that the government remains committed to empowering farmers through modern technology and innovation to strengthen the state’s agri-economy.
