The Potato
The potato was first cultivated somewhere between the
borders of Peru and Bolivia approximately 8,000 years ago. It is the world’s
most widely grown tuber crop and the 4th largest food crop in terms of fresh
produce after rice, wheat and corn. Peru is essentially the birthplace of the
potato and in the Andean region there are still thousands of varieties of
potatoes that grow wildly. Farmers there still cultivate up to 50 varieties
that are commercially available, some with medicinal and therapeutic value.
From the Andeans, potatoes were taken to Europe post
the colonization of South and Central America by Spanish traders and have
increased in popularity ever since. It is at present the most consumed tuber
crop in Europe and has become an essential clog in fulfilling the dietary needs
of most Europeans.
Potatoes were first introduced to Central Asia
approximately 150 years ago and since then potatoes have become an important
food source. In 2011 a University of Michigan study set the average consumption
of potatoes in the region at 143 kg annual per capita, one of the highest in
the world.
In 2004 a study done by the International Potato
Center revealed that iron deficiency was rampant in many countries in Central
Asia including Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The center
undertook an extensive study to find an effective solution to the problem and
it discovered that certain varieties of potatoes especially those grown in
Uzbekistan namely the Picasso and Kuroda have the highest iron and zinc content
on a dry weight basis.
The center identified Central Asia as a region that
can potentially impact the overall global nutritional status especially with
regards to iron deficiency anemia and recognized the role of the potato as a
solution to the problem.
Chronic malnutrition especially iron deficiency is a
critical problem in some parts of Central Asia affecting up to 60% of women
aged between 15 to 49 years and children under the age of 3 (Uzbekistan).
The potato is a fast-growing plant and grows well not
only in large farms but also in small plots of land. Its yield of calories per
acre (about 9.2 million) is higher than that of maize (7.5 million), rice (7.4
million), wheat (3 million) and soybean (2.8 million). The world’s largest
producer of potatoes is China, followed by India, the Russian Federation,
Ukraine, the United States, Germany, Poland, Bangladesh, Netherlands, France,
the United Kingdom, Malawi, Turkey, Canada, Iran, Peru, Egypt, Brazil, Algeria
and Pakistan (FAO).
A bulk of the potatoes that are produced around the
world today are cultivated as secondary crops, on a small scale, utilizing poor
sandy soil with relatively low yields.
Growing potatoes is not only an option for farmers but
it is also an option for anyone with a bit of land to spare. Soil fertility
does not have much of an impact on production because potatoes can grow, as
farmers in Poland and Ukraine have shown, in relatively poor soil. Both
countries produce in excess of what’s required and their production capacity is
bolstered by utilizing less fertile soil. Even if the potatoes are not suitable
for human consumption they can still be used as animal feed.
The demand for potatoes has doubled over the last 15
years and this is mainly due to the growing demand for frozen and dried
potatoes, chips and snacks. This figure is expected to double again by 2020.
Consumption of potatoes in developing countries has
also increased from 9 kg per capita in the early 1960s to over 14 kg today.
Belarus has the highest consumption of potato per capita.
The potato is a nutrient-dense food. It provides good
nutritional return for calories. It has a high energy yield and it is rich in
vitamin C content. Typically, 100 gm of potatoes will contain about 17 mg of
Vitamin C.
In addition to that, potatoes also contain vitamins A,
B and D. The potato is also rich in potassium and it further contains calcium,
iron and phosphorus. It is about 17% starch and it is one of the best natural
sources of starch.
The United Nations officially declared 2008 as the
International Year of the Potato. It was done in order to increase awareness of
the importance of the potato as a food source in developing nations. It dubbed
the potato “the hidden treasure”. Promotions were carried out throughout the year
to increase awareness on the contributions the honest potato can make in
alleviating global hunger.
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