Edited potato variety in 2026
In 2026, the potato world is seeing "edited" varieties emerge, primarily using CRISPR for enhanced disease resistance (like late blight in European starch potatoes) and improved quality (better frying, lower acrylamide, better storage) through precision breeding, moving beyond traditional breeding for faster development of climate-resilient, high-yield potatoes like Brazil's BRS F21 and India's Kufri varieties, marking a significant shift towards technologically-advanced, sustainable cultivation.
Embrapa launches BRS F21 potato variety for industrial frying in Brazil (January 13, 2026): Embrapa has introduced a new potato cultivar, BRS F21, developed to meet the demands of both the production chain and the processing industry. The cultivar combines high yield potential, disease resistance and strong performance in frying applications, particularly for potato chips and shoestring potatoes.
Developed over more than ten years by the Potato Breeding Program, BRS F21 earned the nickname "Braschips" due to its high industrial yield and the superior quality of the fried products it produces.
See: https://www.potatopro.com/news/2026/embrapa-launches-brs-f21-potato-variety-industrial-frying-brazil
ICAR-CPRI Launches Kufri Chipbharat-1: India’s New High-Yield Potato Variety for Chip Processing (August 7 2025): A significant step forward for India’s agricultural sector and food processing industry was marked by the recent release of Kufri Chipbharat-1, a new potato processing variety. This important innovation was unveiled by Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, , the Hon’ble Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, on the occasion of ICAR Foundation Day in New Delhi.
The event was attended by other key dignitaries, including Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR), and Dr. Brajesh Singh, Director, ICAR-CPRI Shimla.
Potatoes hold a crucial position in global food security, being the world’s third most important food crop, after rice and wheat. India is a major player in potato production, ranking as the second largest producer globally after China, cultivating approximately 60 million tonnes from an area of 2.2 million hectares, with an average productivity of 24 tonnes per hectare.
The ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI) in Shimla has been instrumental in this success, with its developed potato varieties accounting for over 94% of the country’s total potato cultivation area. These varieties have also gained popularity beyond India’s borders.
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