Thu, 17 Jul 2025

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 Spud-tacular: How India became a french fry superpower

India's position as a leading exporter of french fries has spurred innovation on potato farms.

* The Patels experimented with growing table potatoes, but it was only when they started cultivating the varieties used by the food industry that their fortunes turned around.
* Today, Gujarat is India's capital of French fry production, home to massive factories belonging to McCain Foods and HyFun Foods, which export fries worldwide, particularly to Asian countries like the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia.
* Indian frozen fries have broken the 20,000-tonne barrier in monthly exports for the first time, with total exports reaching 181,773 tonnes in the year to February, a 45% increase from the previous year.
* The success is partly due to India's competitive pricing, with Devendra K stating that Indian fries are cheaper than those from China on average.
* Firms like HyFun Foods are expanding their operations, with seven plants processing potatoes in Gujarat and two more coming online by 2026.
* To meet growing demand for frozen foods, farmers like Jitesh Patel are innovating, using techniques such as drip irrigation and experimenting with new seeds to improve yields.
* Companies like Jain Irrigation Systems are developing seeds through tissue culture, which involves cloning plants with desirable traits in a controlled laboratory environment.
* However, challenges persist, including the need for more cold storage facilities and refrigerated transportation options to prevent spoilage during transport.
* A reliable electricity supply is also essential, as frequent power outages can lead to spoilage and make running a frozen food supply chain difficult.
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