Bangkok - Since 2005, developing countries have overtaken the developed world as the main potato growers, benefiting from major scientific discoveries over the last decades which have greatly simplified the introduction of improved varieties and dramatically expanded the area under potato cultivation, the International Potato Center (CIP) said today in Bangkok.

Potatos are an overlooked opportunity for food security and income generation in Asia, the CIP statement added.

The potato is now the world's third staple food after rice and wheat. The crop is ideally suited to places where land is limited and labour is abundant, conditions that characterize much of Asia.

"There is no doubt that potato is becoming significantly more important for the Asia-Pacific region which – like many other parts of the world – is facing enormous food challenges today due to soaring prices", remarked He Changchui, FAO’s Asia-Pacific chief. Moreover, potato is a highly productive crop: it produces more food per unit area and per unit time than wheat, rice and maize.

"There are at least 20 low-income food-deficit countries in Asia. We have a major opportunity to introduce potato into rotation with cereal crops to increase the potatoes available to meet food security objectives", emphasized Pamela K. Anderson, CIP director-general.

Production
The potato market has rapidly expanded and in 2005, for the first time, the developing world's potato production exceeded that of the developed world. Farmers in the tropics can harvest potatoes within 50 days of planting – almost a third of the time it takes in colder climates. In Asia's highland areas the potato is emerging as an off-season crop, planted in rotation with rice and maize.

China is the leading producer of potato in the world and India ranks third. In fact, of the 350 million tons of potatoes produced annually in the whole world, China and India together produce a third.

Nutrition and rural development
The potato is becoming increasingly important in Asian diet and economy. Potato production helps to satisfy exploding demands for snack food from Asia's expanding rural populations and youth. Snack food industries are eager to expand domestic and Asian supplies, FAO said.

"The potato is one of the most important contributions of ancient Peru to feeding the human race worldwide," said HE Carlos M. Velasco, ambassador of Peru to Thailand. "The potato is vital to food security for millions of people in the developing world."

Challenges
Potato has great potential for development. In addition to scientific progress, the potato needs more attention from governments.

Inadequate institutional support and infrastructure, lack of established marketing channels, insufficient fund and credit support, and restrictive trade policies are, but a few, impediments to commercialization of the sector, which needs special promotion at national, regional and international levels.

One in a series of activities worldwide for the commemoration of 2008 as the International Year of Potato, a one-day workshop was held today at the FAO regional office for Asia and the Pacific, in cooperation with the government of Peru through its Embassy in Thailand.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Thai deputy minister for agriculture and cooperatives, HE Theerachai Seankaew, noted that "many developing countries are seeking new alternative crops which have high yield productivity and require a short production cycle."

"In response to the current global food inflation – with staple foods such as rice spiraling out of control – potato could be one of the solutions", deputy minister Theerachai added.

The FAO workshop aims to raise greater awareness of the merits of potato, review the situation regarding the potato sector in Asia; and elaborate on key issues and propose further actions needed to promote sustainable potato crop production and development in the region.

More information at:
http://www.potato2008.org