Within the framework of National Potato Day, which is celebrated this Tuesday, May 30, the head of the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri), Nelly Paredes, stated that the sector has been promoting exports of processed native potatoes, which have managed to conquer the international markets of the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Chile and Bolivia.
“The Peruvian potato has been transformed to provide it with added value, through processed native potato productssuch as chips with colored pulp, chopped potatoes for chicken shops and restaurants, vodkas, medicinal alcohol, mashed potatoes, fresh potatoes, among others, which have already conquered the markets,” he said.
He added that thanks to the competitiveness and innovation of small producers, it has been possible to obtain products based on the Andean tuber that reach various destinations. Only last year, the export of potato-based by-products reached 6,530 tons worth US$8 million.
Itinerant market was inaugurated
The minister began the celebratory acts for the National Potato Day with the inauguration of the De la Chacra a la Olla market in the Acoustic Shell of the Campo de Marte, in which various varieties of potatoes were offered, as well as vegetables, fruits and other food items within the reach of housewives.
Producers sell various varieties of potatoes in the Campo de Marte. Photo: Midagri
“De la Chacra a la Olla”, is an initiative that seeks to promote agricultural diversity and the cultural richness of our country, in addition to constituting a unique opportunity for local farmers, potato producers and entrepreneurs from the agricultural sector can exhibit and market a wide variety of products.
Each Peruvian consumes more than 90 kilos of potatoes per year
On the other hand, the minister reported that potato consumption has increased from 76 kilos per person in 2005 to 89 kilos in 2018 and it is projected maintain its consumption at 92 kilos by the year 2023which will allow not only to increase the nutrition of consumers but also to favor the income of peasant families.
He also said that in our country, potato cultivation is produced by 711,313 families distributed in 19 regions, the departments with the highest production being Puno, Huánuco, Cusco, Cajamarca, Huancavelica, Junín, among others. Tuber production is 90% concentrated in the mountains, highlighting the group of native potatoes.
Source: Larepublica
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