Potato is one of Pakistan’s most important cash crops, cultivated on over 741,316 acres (about 0.74 million acres) across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. Both local and imported potato varieties are grown, each with unique agronomic traits, yield potential, and suitability for fresh consumption, processing, or export.
For a complete guide on Potato in Pakistan: Agronomy, Diseases, and Value Chain, visit our detailed article.”
Below is a comprehensive look at the major potato varieties grown in Pakistan, including traditional, processing-oriented, and newly introduced global types.
Asterix
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Origin: Netherlands
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Maturity: Medium (100–110 days)
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Yield Potential: 20–25 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Red-skinned, long oval tubers with yellow flesh. Excellent frying quality, widely used for French fries. Widely used in frozen fries industry, particularly noted by PotatoPro
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Strengths: High dry matter, low sugar, strong scab resistance.
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Weaknesses: Susceptible to late blight during rainy season, requires cold storage.
2. Diamant
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Origin: Netherlands
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Maturity: Medium to late (110–120 days)
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Yield Potential: 18–22 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Yellow-skinned, oval tubers with white flesh. Used in table consumption and processing.
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Strengths: High yield stability, good drought tolerance.
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Weaknesses: Moderate resistance to blight and viruses.
3. Lady Rosetta (LR)
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Origin: Netherlands
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Maturity: Early to medium (95–100 days)
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Yield Potential: 15–20 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Round, red-skinned tubers with high dry matter. Mainly grown for chip industry.
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Strengths: Crisp quality, low sugar, uniform size.
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Weaknesses: Susceptible to storage diseases, requires controlled storage.
4. Hermes
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Origin: UK
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Maturity: Medium (100–110 days)
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Yield Potential: 18–22 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Yellow-skinned, round tubers suitable for crisping.
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Strengths: Preferred by snack manufacturers.
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Weaknesses: Susceptible to bacterial wilt.
5. Santana
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Origin: Netherlands
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Maturity: Medium to late (110–120 days)
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Yield Potential: 20–23 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Yellow oval tubers, good for fries and chips.
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Strengths: Heat-tolerant, suitable for processing.
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Weaknesses: Susceptible to late blight.
6. Courage
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Origin: UK
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Maturity: Medium (100–110 days)
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Yield Potential: 17–20 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Large oval tubers, white flesh.
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Strengths: Good cooking quality.
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Weaknesses: Average resistance to disease.
7. Atlantic
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Origin: USA
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Maturity: Early to medium (95–105 days)
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Yield Potential: 15–18 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Round, white-skinned tubers with high starch. Popular for chips.
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Strengths: High solid content.
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Weaknesses: Susceptible to blight and storage rot.
8. Local Desi Varieties
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Widely grown by small farmers for fresh consumption.
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Moderate yield, but highly adaptable to local soil and climate.
Newly Introduced Varieties in Pakistan
Alverstone Russet
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Origin: UK
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Maturity: Medium-late (110–120 days)
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Yield Potential: 20–24 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Russet-skinned, oblong tubers with creamy flesh. Excellent for French fries and baking.
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Strengths: High dry matter, very good frying quality, long storage ability.
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Weaknesses: Requires well-drained soil, susceptible to scab under poor management.
10. Mozika
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Origin: Netherlands
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Maturity: Medium (100–110 days)
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Yield Potential: 18–22 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Yellow-skinned tubers with smooth texture, dual purpose (table + processing).
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Strengths: Attractive appearance, good for export.
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Weaknesses: Average blight resistance.
11. Red Bullet
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Origin: France
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Maturity: Early (90–100 days)
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Yield Potential: 15–18 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Red-skinned, round tubers with yellow flesh.
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Strengths: Early maturity, high market demand for table consumption.
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Weaknesses: Not ideal for long-term storage.
12. Adison
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Origin: Netherlands
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Maturity: Medium (100–110 days)
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Yield Potential: 18–21 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Light yellow skin, oval tubers, dual-purpose.
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Strengths: Good processing and table use.
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Weaknesses: Moderate disease resistance.
13. Esme
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Origin: Netherlands
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Maturity: Medium to late (110–115 days)
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Yield Potential: 19–22 tons/acre
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Characteristics: Red-skinned, oval tubers with white flesh.
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Strengths: Attractive skin, preferred for local markets.
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Weaknesses: Storage-sensitive.
14. Alouette
Origin: Netherlands
Maturity: Medium (105–115 days)
Yield Potential: 22–26 tons per acre
Characteristics:
Red-skinned, round to oval tubers with light yellow flesh. Recognized for its uniform shape and attractive appearance, making it popular in both fresh market and processing industries.
Strengths:
Naturally resistant to late blight, which reduces pesticide costs and makes it a sustainable choice. Good boiling and salad quality with a firm texture. Long shelf life, suitable for storage and transport.
Weaknesses:
Moderate susceptibility to common scab and requires careful irrigation management to maintain skin finish. Not widely available in Pakistan yet, but highly valued in Europe.
According to Euroseeds and CIP – International Potato Center, these varieties were first bred in the Netherlands.”
Comparative Table of Potato Varieties in Pakistan
|
Variety |
Origin |
Maturity (Days) |
Yield Potential (tons/acre) |
Key Characteristics |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Asterix |
Netherlands |
100–110 |
20–25 |
Red skin, yellow flesh |
Fries quality, scab resistance |
Late blight susceptible |
|
Diamant |
Netherlands |
110–120 |
18–22 |
Yellow skin, white flesh |
Stable yield, drought tolerant |
Moderate disease resistance |
|
Lady Rosetta |
Netherlands |
95–100 |
15–20 |
Red skin, high dry matter |
Crisp quality |
Storage sensitive |
|
Hermes |
UK |
100–110 |
18–22 |
Yellow round tubers |
Crisping use |
Bacterial wilt |
|
Santana |
Netherlands |
110–120 |
20–23 |
Yellow oval tubers |
Heat tolerant |
Blight susceptible |
|
Courage |
UK |
100–110 |
17–20 |
Large oval tubers |
Good cooking |
Average disease resistance |
|
Atlantic |
USA |
95–105 |
15–18 |
White skin, high starch |
Chips industry |
Blight/storage rot |
|
Alverstone Russet |
UK |
110–120 |
20–24 |
Russet skin, creamy flesh |
Fries/baking quality |
Scab under poor soil |
|
Mozika |
Netherlands |
100–110 |
18–22 |
Smooth yellow skin |
Export demand |
Moderate blight resistance |
|
Red Bullet |
France |
90–100 |
15–18 |
Red skin, yellow flesh |
Early maturity |
Weak storage |
|
Adison |
Netherlands |
100–110 |
18–21 |
Light yellow skin |
Dual-purpose |
Moderate disease resistance |
|
Esme |
Netherlands |
110–115 |
19–22 |
Red skin, white flesh |
Attractive for markets |
Storage sensitive |
|
Alouette |
Netherlands |
105–115 |
22–26 |
Round to oval, Red skin |
Strong frying quality |
Viral susceptibility |
Conclusion
Pakistan has a diverse range of potato varieties, each with unique traits catering to different markets—table consumption, chip industry, or frozen fries. Farmers must select varieties based on local conditions, storage facilities, and intended use to maximize yield and profitability.