Last Updated:June 18, 2025, 11:42 IST
Though the Air Potato is traditionally grown in Uttarakhand and other hilly areas, local farmer Rajendra Atal is now working to bring its cultivation to Saharanpur
With concerns over the Air Potato variety facing extinction, efforts are underway to conserve and promote its cultivation. (Local18)
Farmers in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, are known for their innovative farming methods. One such farmer, Rajendra Atal, has stunned everyone with a new variety of potato that grows not underground, but above the ground—aptly named the ‘Air Potato’.
The Air Potato, originally found in parts of Asia and Africa and believed to be native to Nigeria, grows on fast-spreading vines rather than underground. It begins growing rapidly after the monsoon and is typically harvested in the winter season. The vegetable is versatile, it can be cooked, roasted, or even boiled, and tastes just as good as regular potatoes.
Though the Air Potato is traditionally grown in Uttarakhand and other hilly areas, Atal is now working to bring its cultivation to Saharanpur. With declining production and concerns over the variety becoming extinct, efforts are being made to conserve and promote it.
Speaking to Local18, Rajendra Atal said, “Shakambhari University is supporting us in our agricultural innovations. Everyone knows that traditional potatoes grow underground. However, some Jain communities avoid underground vegetables. Our institute has developed a potato that grows above ground on a vine, offering an alternative.”
The Air Potato resembles the regular potato in colour, shape, and taste. Atal is preparing saplings to distribute to local farmers at prices ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 100. A single vine of the Air Potato can yield between 5 kg and 10 kg. Given its rarity and unique growth method, it also commands a higher market price—between Rs 70 and Rs 100 per kg during the season.
With plans underway to expand its cultivation in Saharanpur, the Air Potato could soon become a profitable and eco-friendly farming option for local growers.
- Location :
Saharanpur, India, India
- First Published:
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