Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A farmer in Bhopal has grown a unique variety of potatoes, known as 'Neelkanth Kufri' (blue potatoes) in the fields of Khajurikalan.
The Blue potato is grown by a Bhopal farmer Mishrilal Rajput and named the produce 'Neelkanth Kufri'. This 'Neelkanth' is believed to be of extreme benefit for farmers as well as consumers.
"In comparison to the white potato (normal potato), this blue one is rich in antioxidants, 100 mg found in the 100 grams of potato, which is approximately 7 times higher than the antioxidant richness of a normal potato," Farmer Mishrilal Rajput of Awadhpuri, Khajurikalan told ANI on Monday, while explaining the benefits of consuming this variety of potato.
He also said that the people who find potato consumption harmful can also have it without any apprehensions.
"It is also a great deal for those who cook as it takes comparatively lesser time than a normal potato to get cooked and boiled, thus saving the energy while also delivering a delicious taste," he added.
Rajput also mentioned how the production of this Blue Potato is advantageous for the farmers. He said, "where the production of a normal potato is 300 quintals at a certain cost, the NeelKanth Kufri can be produced for up to 400 quintals at the same cost." "The yield also protects itself from various crop diseases caused by excessive rain, thus saving the farmer from any potential loss in crop yield," he added.
He also pointed out the fact that earlier crop research was conducted to know how production can be increased, but now the research is being conducted to understand its benefits on human health.
Prior to this Neelkanth Kufri (blue potato), Red Ladyfinger, Black Wheat have also been yielded and found beneficial to the farmers in the region.
