Sweet Potato Farming in India: Cultivation, Varieties & Production

Table of Contents

• An Overview of Sweet Potato Farming in India
• What are the Popular Sweet Potato Varieties in India?
• A Complete Cultivation Process of Sweet Potatoes
  • Soil & Climate
  • Planting Season
  • Nursery Preparation
  • Land Preparation & Plantation
  • Irrigation & Fertilizer Management
  • Plant Protection
  • Harvesting & Yield
• Which are the Major Sweet Potatoes Producing States in India?

An Overview of Sweet Potato Farming in India

Sweet potatoes are sweet, starchy tubers that are popular among the Indian population. The botanical name of sweet potato is Ipomoea batata L. This vegetable is rich in nutrients, antioxidants, carbohydrates, water, protein, fibre, etc. These are available in different sizes and shapes, including orange, brown, white and purple. It is considered healthy food and helps aid digestion, promote heart health, regulate blood sugar, etc. Sweet potato farming in India is popular due to the country's climate and soil conditions. It is an important staple food crop among tribals in many regions, which are consumed as snacks.

What are the Popular Sweet Potato Varieties in India?

• Varsha
• Sree Nandini
• Gouri
• Sankar
• Sree Vardhini
• Kalinga
• Kishan
• Bhu Kanti
• Bhu Ja
• Bhu Sona

A Complete Cultivation Process of Sweet Potatoes

Soil & climate, land preparation, planting season, etc. are some of the important steps of sweet potato cultivation. Let’s have a look at all the steps below:

Soil & Climate

Sweet potatoes can be grown on almost all types of soil. However, well-drained sandy loam and clay soils rich in organic matter are considered the best for sweet potato cultivation. It requires a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5 for better yielding. It grows well in tropical, sub-tropical, and warmer regions. Also, a temperature range of 21°C to 26°C, well-distributed rainfall of 75 to 150 cm, and adequate sunlight are considered ideal.

Planting Season

As a rainfed crop, sweet potatoes can be cultivated from June to August (Kharif season) and with supplemental irrigation from October to December (Rabi season). February to May is also considered sweet potato season in India with irrigation in lowlands.

Nursery Preparation

Sweet potato is propagated through vines cuttings either obtained from freshly harvested plants from the field or from the nursery. Select healthy vines for maximum tuber production. Used tubers are also raised through primary and secondary nursery stages.

Land Preparation & Plantation

Cut the vines 20 to 30 cm long from the middle and top for planting in the main field after 45 to 60 days in the secondary nursery. The apical vine cuttings are the best for high yield. Store the vine cutting with intact leaves in the shade for 2 days before planting to promote better root initiation, early vine establishment, and higher tuber yield.

For land preparation, plough the soil to a fine tilth. Make ridges 60 cm apart, at 25 to 30 cm in height, and plant the vine cuttings in the soil at a spacing of 60 x 20 cm with both ends exposed and the middle portion buried in the soil.

Plant two cuttings per hill on the ridges either horizontally/ inclined/ vertically and place them 20 cm apart in ridges with a minimum of two to three nodes placed inside the soil.

Irrigation & Fertilizer Management

A moist seed bed is made for the initial 4 to 5 days for better establishment of vines. Irrigate immediately after planting the vines and continue watering for the first 10 days. Tuber initiation and maintenance of soil moisture is very critical for better yielding.

Apply 25 t/ha FYM and 20:40:60 kg NPK/ha as basal and 20:40:60 kg NPK/ha after 30 days.  If 20 kg/ha Azospirillum is applied, apply only 2/3rd dose of N. It is preferable to apply N and P in the form of DAP (Diammonium phosphate).

Plant Protection

Harvesting & Yield

Harvest the sweet potato crop when it’s mature. The maturity of the crop depends on the duration of the cultivated varieties. The sweet potato yield per acre is around 8.10 to 10.12 tonnes tubers in 110-120 days.

Which are the Major Sweet Potatoes Producing States in India?

According to the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the overall production of sweet potatoes in India in 2022-23 was 1288.87 thousand metric tonnes. Below are the major producing states of sweet potatoes: