New Delhi, Dec. 9 : Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, called upon farmers to exploit the vast potential for export of potatoes by adopting available technology and maintaining high quality.

He was addressing the farmers after inaugurating the Global Potato Conference here today.

Over 400 scientists, trade and industry representatives and policy makers from all continents are attending the Conference, said a press releasse.

A large number of farmers are also attending the Conference.

The Minister argued that while India is the third largest potato producer in the world, its contribution to global potato trade is a mere 0.5 percent. India has the required production technologies and the produce is free from major diseases, which provide significant opportunity for export of potato products.

Pawar informed that in recent years, India has seen record production of horticultural crops. This, he said, has been possible with the launch of mega schemes such as the National Food Security Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna and the National Horticulture Mission, coupled with research initiatives. Going by the trend seen in the past, the goal of the NHM to double horticulture production from 150 million tonnes in 2003-04 to 300 MT by 2011-12 seems fully achievable, he said.(ANI)