Mon Mar 31 13:20:24 UTC 2025: ## New Biofortified Sweet Potato Variety Promises to Boost Food Security in India
**THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, March 31, 2025** – A new, biofortified orange-fleshed sweet potato variety developed by the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI) is poised to significantly improve food security, particularly among tribal communities. The variety, designated SP-95/4, boasts a high beta-carotene content (8 mg/100g), addressing the prevalent Vitamin A deficiency in many regions.
Successful trials in Odisha, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Kerala have paved the way for the sweet potato’s official release. In Attappady, a tribal region in Kerala, the pink-skinned, orange-fleshed sweet potato has already yielded impressive results, with farmers reporting a bumper harvest. The crop’s large size (average 300 grams per tuber) and fusiform shape also make it ideal for processing.
The successful cultivation is a result of a collaboration between the CTCRI’s Rainbow Diet Programme and Kudumbashree’s Punarjeevanam initiative. Plans are underway to expand sweet potato cultivation in Attappady to 100 acres by the end of 2025.
According to Dr. G. Byju, Director of ICAR-CTCRI, this variety holds immense promise in combating malnutrition and promoting a balanced diet within vulnerable populations. The CTCRI highlights the sweet potato’s nutritional richness as a key component in addressing nutritional insecurity and related public health challenges.
First Piper 