Peru remains the leading potato producer in Latin America: what position does it occupy worldwide?

This Tuesday, May 30, National Potato Day is celebrated throughout Peru, a date on which the historical, economic, food and nutritional importance of this potato is highlighted. tuber Andean.

The numbers reflect it: our country remains the first potato producer in Latin Americawith a production volume of six million metric tons in 2022, which covers the needs of almost 33 million inhabitants, according to the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri).

He potato crop It has become a driver of the regional and local economy, especially in the high Andean areas. Last year, more than 27 million work days and more than 6 million 21,000 tons of production were achieved with a harvested area of ​​340,866 hectares.

Despite the havoc caused by the climatic events which led to rains, floods and frosts, our country remains the continental leader and surpasses Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, among other countries.

Reduced cultivation area and potato production

However, although the leadership in the region stands out, so far this 2022-2023 agricultural season, the cultivation area has been reduced by 8.7%; that is, about 24,700 hectares less than what was planted in the same period of the previous campaign. In addition, its production has decreased by more than 17%.

In our country, the Potato cultivation is produced by 711,313 families distributed in 19 regions. Tuber production is 90% concentrated in the mountains, in which departments such as Puno, Huánuco, Cusco, Cajamarca, Huancavelica and Junín stand out.

Currently, the Peruvian potato has been transformed to provide it with added value, through processed native potato products such as chips with colored pulp, chopped potatoes for chicken shops and restaurants, vodkas, medicinal alcohol, puree, bakery products. , among others.

What position does Peru occupy as a potato producer in the world?

Potatoes, the fourth most cultivated food in the world, only after wheat, corn and rice, they are produced in more than 125 countries around the planet.

Worldwide, according to Midagri, Peru ranks 16th in terms of production, headed by Chinafollowed by India, Belarus, Poland, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Germany, the United States and others.