Buyers ask for specific potato varieties for chips and fries. Which types suit processing and which suit the table market?
Processing and table markets want different things, so the variety choice depends on your buyer. Processing for chips and fries needs varieties with high dry matter, low sugars and the right tuber shape and colour, such as the Kufri Chipsona series and other processing types bred by ICAR-CPRI, because high sugar tubers fry dark and are rejected. Table market wants attractive skin, good size and cooking quality, where varieties like Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Bahar and others are common. Seed potato is a separate market again. Processing companies often contract specific varieties and pay a premium for the right grade, so it is worth lining up a buyer before you grow a processing variety. Storage conditions also affect processing quality since cold storage can raise sugars. Check the recommended varieties for your region and any contract opportunities with your KVK and ICAR-CPRI advisories.
Line up the processing contract before sowing the processing variety. I grew a chip type one year without a confirmed buyer and ended up selling it as ordinary table potato at a loss, because the open market did not value the low sugar quality. The premium only comes with the contract.
A point on storage for processing types, normal cold storage can raise the sugars and then the chips fry dark and get rejected. The processors I deal with want the tubers handled and stored a certain way to keep sugars low. Ask the buyer about their storage requirement, it is different from table potato.
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