Jahangeer Ganaie
Shopian, Nov 6: The famous Hirpora Red Potato—locally known as ‘Katt-e-Maaz Aalu’ because of its unique mutton-like flavour—is now being cultivated by only a handful of households in Hirpora Shopian, even as farmers this year earned good returns from other potato varieties.
Locals from Hirpora and its adjoining areas said that despite being a crop with a legacy value and high market demand, the red Hirpora potato is today limited to barely 2-4 households out of nearly 800 families in the village.
“This potato once represented Hirpora’s identity. Traders from different parts of the Valley used to travel to Hirpora only for this red potato. But today it is nearly extinct,” said Mohammad Yousuf, a grower from Hirpora.
Farmers said that this year other potato varieties—especially the improved white varieties—gave good production and good returns due to favourable weather. However, on the red variety, they said the population has been shrinking mainly due to diseases, low yields and the increasing shift towards apple cultivation.
Locals also alleged that the agriculture department this year supplied them with potato seed at Rs 3,500 per quintal with the promise that later the department would procure the produce at the same rate.
“We were assured ‘whatever rate we sell to you at the beginning, same rate we will buy back’. But later they paid us only Rs 2,500 per quintal. This is cheating,” said another farmer, Abdul Rehman.
Farmers said this caused distress among many households who had trusted the department’s commitment.
“We demand a proper inquiry into this. If there was a subsidy or any scheme component, we should have been told clearly. But changing the rate after its cultivation is totally unjust,” they said.
An official said that there was no cheating involved and that farmers were paid Rs 2,500 per quintal + Rs 1,000 subsidy under HADP, making it equivalent to Rs 3,500 per quintal.
“Farmers got Rs 2,500 cash rate and Rs 1,000 subsidy component under HADP (Holistic Agriculture Development Programme). So the total comes to Rs 3,500 per quintal,” the official clarified.
He said that last year potatoes were procured at Rs 2500 only and farmers got Rs 3700 per quintal plus 1000 for registered farmers and rates are fixed by higher ups. He said that chief agriculture officer Shopian has already written to higher ups in this regard so that growers can get better rates.
The official also said that red Hirpora potato is indeed on decline, but multiple revival steps have already been initiated. “Two revival project proposals have been submitted to higher authorities. SKAUST and KVK Balpora are already involved. One farmer has even volunteered his land for a trial plantation. We are procuring seed directly from households still preserving the red potato strain,” the official said.
According to experts, uncontrolled use of chemical fertilizers and continuous shift of agricultural land towards orchards are among the biggest reasons for the decline of this indigenous variety.
Farmers also said that during earlier times, the crop used to grow well with natural manure only. “When we used cow dung, we used to get better quality and better quantity. Fertilizer ruined this delicate breed,” said an elderly grower.
Hirpora—the last inhabited village before the Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary on Mughal Road—primarily depended on potato cultivation for decades. Locals say losing this heritage potato will also be a cultural loss.
“This potato is not just a crop, it is our identity. Government should conserve it like they conserve heritage monuments,” locals said.
The agriculture department maintained confidence that with cooperation of local growers and scientific intervention in seed purity, disease control and soil assessment, the red potato can still be revived.
“We hope to achieve success in bringing Hirpora Red Potato back in production again,” the official added.
He added that this year on one canal on trial basis, red potatoes were sown again and it has shown good results and we are hopeful it will be extended to more land in coming year. (KNO)
