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ICAR-CTCRI Unveils New Biofortified Sweet Potato Variety to Enhance Tribal Nutritional Security.

Environment | Dated: 03 Apr 2025

In March 2025, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI), headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), developed a new orange-fleshed sweet potato variety named SP-95/4 to support food security initiatives in tribal regions of India.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - The new sweet potato variety SP-95/4 contains a high beta-carotene content of 8 mg per 100 grams, which helps effectively combat Vitamin A deficiency, especially common in tribal populations. Its average tuber weight is 300 grams, and its fusiform shape makes it suitable for food processing purposes.
  • - SP-95/4 has shown strong adaptability across multiple states. It has been successfully tested in Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Kerala, demonstrating its suitability for cultivation in diverse ecological conditions.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) The ‘Rainbow Diet’ programme, initiated in 2023 in Attappady, focuses on combating malnutrition through biofortified crops and was expanded under the ‘Punarjeevanam’ programme in 2024.
  • (ii) The variety is currently cultivated across 10–15 acres, with expansion plans to reach 100 acres by December 2025.
  • (iii) A processing unit, funded through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) support, is being proposed to improve farmer incomes and ensure commercial viability of the crop.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Which organization recently developed a new biofortified sweet potato variety named SP-95/4?

Correct Answer: ICAR-CTCRI

🚀 Quick Recap: