Potato Solanum tuberosum L., a native of South America, occupies the largest area under any single vegetable crop in the world. Potato is one of the unique crops grown in the country having high productivity and supplementing food needs. It is being grown in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka on a large scale. It is considered to be a cash crop.

• Soil : Loamy and sandy loam soils, rich in organic matter with good drainage and aeration are most suitable for cultivation of potato crop.
• Climate : It is grown only under such conditions where the temperature during the growing seasons is moderately cool. Suitable temperature with minimum 12° C to maximum 32° C.
• Variety : Selection of variety is depending on factors i.e. Keeping quality, dry matter, resistance of disease. Varieties namely Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Chandramukhi, Kufri Lauvkar, Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Chipsona-1 & 3, Kufri Bahar, Kufri Sinduri, Kufri Surya, Kufri Puskar, and LR are very popular in India.
• Season of planting : Potato is a Rabi crop and to be sown from mid of October-November. In the Nilgiri Hills, the crops are raised in succession in April, August and January. In the hilly regions of the north; the crop is sown in March-April.
• Spacing : Spacing of 45 to 60 cm x 15 to 25 cm, according to the variety and the size of tuber .
• Harvesting : The main crop is ready for harvest within 75-120 days of planting depending upon the area, soil type and variety sown.
• Yield* : The yield varies from variety to variety. However, the average yield s about 15 to 20 tons / ha.

*varies with field conditions