IN

IX. POTATO AND POTATO SEED

IX.1. PRESENT STATUS

IX.1.1. AREA, PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY

An estimated 85% of the population of Afghanistan is directly dependent on agriculture, the largest sector of the Afghan economy. Wheat is the main food crop, accounting for about three-fourths of food grain production. Other important grain crops are rice, maize and barley. Most horticultural crops are grown on irrigated land, with an estimated 6 percent of the irrigated area planted to vegetable crops. The irrigation infrastructure has been badly damaged, and extension and research have also been widely disrupted.

Potato is a very important food crop, contributing significantly to food security and improvement of rural livelihood. Potato occupies some 90% of the area planted to vegetables. At present, however, it is expected that the area dedicated to potato may be less due to prevailing drought. Melons, watermelons, onion and tomato are the other major horticultural crops. Per-capita consumption of potato is reportedly 18 kg/year. In 1998, Afghan farmers produced about 235,000 MT of potatoes on about 14,000 hectares, with an average yield of 16.8 MT/ha. Compared to developing country averages, potato yield is high because of its cultivation under irrigation. This indicates good environmental conditions under which further improvements in yield could be expected from improved technology. Introduction of improved production techniques should permit increase in potential yield from about 20 up to 40 MT/ha.

IX.1.2. PRODUCTION AGRO-ECOLOGIES

Agro-ecological conditions in Afghanistan permit the cultivation of potato in different regions. Statistics show that about 50% of total national production is in Bamyian Province in the higher elevations. Some 30% is in Baghland, Wardak, Logar, Ghazni, Kapsia, and Kabul provinces at elevations ranging from 1,800 to 2,600 meters. The remaining 20% is produced at lower elevations of about 1,000 meters or less in Qandahar, Kunar, Laghman and Herat provinces. Although potato production is presently concentrated in these areas, the potential for production exists in the lower Southern areas, if appropriate varieties for this region are selected.

IX.1.3. POTATO PRODUCTION SEASONS

Traditionally, the date of planting in different agro-ecologies varies. In lower elevations (>500 m). planting dates are from 15 January to early February; at 1,000-1,500 m, planting dates are 10 February to early March; at 1,500-2,000 m, 1 March to 20 March; at 2,000-2,500 m, 20 March to 20 April; and at > 2500, 15 April to15 May. It is reported that farmers in the Jalalabad area now produce potato in the fall, planting in late October to early November.

The irrigated highland crop is planted in April-May after the rainy season and is harvested in September-October. At lower elevations, the cropping season is from February to May June.

IX.1.4. COMMON VARIETIES GROWN

Common varieties grown are classified as follows:

Garma (early-maturing): varieties are Charmaghz Panai, Desaree(just introduced) and Cardinal(just introduced).

Sarda (late maturing): the variety Shingullai is widely grown in comparison to the former.

Two Indian varieties, Kufri Chandramukhi and Kufri Lauvkar, have been cultivated since being introduced in the 1970's. The variety Charmaghz Panai is possibly Kufri Chandramukhi, while Shingullai is possibly Kufri Lauka. Other known varieties introduced in the early 1990's are Cardinal (red-skinned) and Diamant (white-skinned). Both these varieties are said to have yielded about 40 MT/ha in Ghanzi province.

Other varieties tested in Kabul province are Spunta, Sebago and Green Mountain, but they apparently did not produce good results in evaluation trials even though the former was reported to be disease-resistant and have good yield potential. Their harvest dates vary from 90 (at lower elevations) to 145 days (at higher elevations).

At present, limited variety trials are conducted on introduced Chinese varieties and 15 CIP varieties in the three FAO research stations at Qargha, Sheesham Bagh and Ghanzi. In addition, 5 families of TPS are been evaluated.

IX.1.5. ORGANIZATIONS

There is very little interaction between public, private and NGO sectors in connection with potato production. There appears to be no organized infrastructure for potato seed.

IX.1.6. TRAINED MANPOWER

There are only a few personnel trained in potato production. Training of Potato Project technical staff and farmers were done under the FAO project between 2000-2001. Four training courses were conducted, training over 100 Afghan professionals representing FAO and other relevant organizations. Training was on ware and seed potato production, and also included rapid multiplication (RMT), TPS and in vitro micro-propagation. Additionally, 1,000 farmers are reported to have been trained. All training and seed activities were reported under the FAO project (FAO: TCP/AFG/8921) which was terminated before its completion date due to funding limitations. The trained project staff has been disbanded and very little training and follow up are continuing even though the farmer training program was initiated. This activity has now been discontinued. The trained persons, especially the NGO staff returned to their own organizations and may not be involved in potato production.

Although the NGO sector has been active in many other areas in Afghanistan, only the one training program organized by the FAO Potato Project has been provided on potato. Trained personnel are also not now available to continue or follow-up on use of their training. In other countries, NGOs play a vital role in the informal seed production systems; in Afghanistan, they need to be used to develop and multiply potato seed for distribution.

IX.1.7. FACILITIES

Research stations were developed for potato in different regions of Afghanistan. The Quargha research station near Kabul (visited in this assessment) needs complete re-development in staffing, facilities and activities. Since the potato research stations no longer receive FAO funding, staff has been reduced and activities limited to evaluation of varieties brought in by FAO from China and CIP. These, too, are not done properly and no records were available at the time of the visit.

IX.1.8. HEALTH STANDARDS, QUARANTINE AND SEED CERTIFICATION

There are no health standards for seed, which is all from the informal sector.

Seed degeneration is known, but the reason for degeneration is not known by farmers in the informal production system.

There are no seed certification standards for the different stages of multiplication which need to be followed (basic, foundation and certified). Standards should be initiated as soon as possible, to permit a viable seed system to be started.

There are no quarantine regulations for the import of seed. This is an important necessity to safeguard the country from the import of contaminated material.

IX.1.9. MAJOR DISEASES

IX.1.9.1. Viruses

On limited field visits to potato-producing areas in Char-Asiab in the Kabul district, the potato fields visited were badly infected with viruses. This is a reflection of the quality of seed used. Most farmers seem to know that diseased seed planted and does not give a good crop. They are, however, not aware that it could be a virus infection since potato seed is used from generation to generation without proper production technology. Correct seed production technology is not used when producing and storing seed.

A farmer in the Char-Asiab district was aware of problems with seed and got good seed from a seed producer in Pagman, Qargha in the mid/high elevations of about 1,900 meters. His crop stand was better than others, but still had virus-infected plants. He was aware that plants had to be rogued and planned to rogue his field soon. He had a seed plot to produce seed for the next season. The seed plot had been planted with selected tubers, but still there were virus-infected plants in the plot. The plants with viruses were easily identifiable due to stunted appearance, crinkled leaves, and yellowing on the top leaves. Symptoms of other pests and diseases were also evident but not specific.

The potato field of another farmer in the same area had mixed varieties and was badly infected with viruses. This farmer was not aware that the problem could be connected to seed. He had been using the seed for 4-5 generations, but our observations are that it could be more than 5-6 years. He was not aware of roguing, and was content with the field as it was.

Farmers were not aware of seed degeneration and the need to follow certain field practices to obtain good-quality seed. A stop was made at another farmer's field on the road to Kabul in Seyabeeni. Here, the potato crop was very badly infected with viruses and it was evident that he had planted poor-quality seed. The history of the seed was not known and was obtained from a relative in Shina, Bagrani.

A visit was made to the Logha District, an important irrigated agriculture area with large extents of wheat. In addition to wheat, potato is a prominent crop. In the areas visited, seed is seen as a problem, as the potato fields were badly affected by viruses indicating poor quality seed. Farmers were not aware of the problems caused by viruses. As in previous visits, many potato fields visited and farmers interviewed, all indicated that seed was a problem and that farmers need training on better management practices.

With all these problems, yields were said to be 15-18 MT/ha in some farms, even though 20-30% of the field populations were affected with viruses. Scope therefore exists to increase production by clean-up of existing varieties.

IX.1.9.2. Important Bacterial Diseases

Bacterial wilt has not been reported in potato, but has been observed on tomato.

IX.1.9.3. Important Fungal Diseases

Late Blight: There seem to be two schools of thought. Some scientists in the potato program feel that there is no late blight. However, this differs from what has been cited in recent literature as well as by others during field visits. In a way the statement that late blight is not a problem may be rational, as late blight conditions may not prevail in some areas where it is said to occur, especially in the high elevations. In these areas, the temperature is low but there is very little humidity. Cool weather and cloudy days are important for late blight. However, it is important to study this, as late blight is a devastating disease and needs to be controlled by varietal selection as well as by using integrated disease management (IDM) methods. Farmers have reported that early and late blight are the most important diseases (FAO,1998) and have reported it in the higher altitudes.

Early blight: also reported to be in the lower elevations.

Others: Verticillium wilt, ring rot, powdery scab, black leg and soft rot are said to occur but their degree of significance has not been reported.

IX.1.10. IMPORTANT PESTS

IX.1.10.1. Aphids

Aphids are a major contributor to the virus loads in potato seed. There is no information on aphid dynamics to assess the aphid population and their behavior in the three important potato production agro-ecologies here. A forecasting system is not in place.

Aphids are major pests that transmit viruses and affect the development of a good seed system. It is important to get information on Aphid dynamics to assess the aphid population and behavior in Afghanistan's three important agro-ecologies for potato production. This will help in forecasting areas where seed systems should be developed and where seed plot techniques could apply, especially for the informal seed system. However, this information is not now available. It is necessary to establish a system to collect the information, so seed systems can be developed.

IX.1.10.2. Others

Cutworm has been sighted in Afghanistan, but its significance for potato is not yet known.

IX.1.11. STORAGE SYSTEMS

Good storage systems are not available for seed storage, and therefore must be considered in the seed production areas, when and where rehabilitation of formal seed production takes place.

Country or family stores in farm houses are used to store potato seed for the next season. Storage is still essentially traditional, and is by using underground "pit" storage and farmers' home storage in the mid and high elevations. Due to high temperatures in low elevations such as Jalalabad, potato seed storage is not possible for more than about 2-3 months after harvest. If fall planting is done, seed produced for the informal system could be stored for two months and then sent to the mid-elevations for planting after two to three months.

IX.1.12. MARKETING SYSTEM

Potato other than for seed in lower elevations must be sold out.

There is no specific marketing system for potato. The markets for ware (food) potato are mostly local.

There is export of potato to Pakistan through Peshawar, mainly to markets in Lahore and Karachi. This is for the variety Cardinal, which is readily accepted in Pakistan. Farmers in the Jalalabad area grow Cardinal for export to Pakistan. Some potato for Pakistan is multiplied in Afghanistan and then sent to Pakistan to be sold in the Lahore and Karachi markets. This is seen as an informal export of potato to Pakistan.

Seed potato is sold on an informal basis in the higher elevations if it is sold by traders. The bulk of the seed sold is through local markets. Other than for a very small segment, no processed potato is sold in the market.