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SPUDSMART.COM INTERNATIONAL EDITION 20152 Potato Continues to Make New Inroads Around the World AS WE HAVE come to learn collaboration is often at the root of success and our International Edition of Spud Smart definitely follows that pattern. Our editor Mark Halsall has done an extraordinary job of a bringing into focus how important potatoes are globally and b putting a spotlight on the role that China plays in potato development and production. While already considered the top-producing country of potatoes globally China is now poised to boost consumption among the Chinese public creating a new marketing branch for one of the worlds principal crops. At the beginning of 2015 the Chinese government announced plans to ramp up domestic production and consumption of potatoes in order to help Chinas food security levels and ease pressure on the environment as well as to help increase farm incomes within the country. According to Yan Feng division director of the Agricultural Trade Promotion Center with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture there are over 50 million jobs as a direct result of the countrys potato industry showing the significance of the industry within China. Feng says increased potato consumption will only bolster food security for this nation of approximately 1.3 billion people. In the past two decades since the rapid development of the potato industry in some of the poorer regions of China many potato farmers have risen out of poverty and the potato industry has become the backbone of those communities says Feng. Over the years China has received help from such scientists as Peter VanderZaag a Canadian potato grower and researcher who is recognized as one of Canadas leading authorities on potatoes. VanderZaag has spent much of his time abroad helping countries such as China to further develop their potato industry. As a member of the International Potato Center CIP VanderZaag began working to help grow the Chinese potato industry in 1985. Since this time he notes that China has made tremendous strides. Potato production in China has increased six-fold over the last 30 years VanderZaag says. When I started working there it was still a very food-deficit country. When VanderZaag arrived to lead CIP in its effort to build a research centre in China things were beginning to change. CIPs efforts to help mentor a new generation of potato growers and scientists have ensured that the industry keeps coming up with innovative ways to increase potato production in China. The Chinese acknowledge there are still hurdles to overcome such as creating more processing opportunities for producers within the country but they are very optimistic. According to Feng the Chinese government has introduced several economic policies to highlight the importance of the potato as a main crop for food security in China. As we attend this years World Potato Congress in Beijing we look forward to hearing of new advancements within China for its flourishing potato industry and hope to foster further initiatives in research and development to help China reach its domestic potato production and consumption goals. INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2015 The magazine of the Canadian potato industry. PUBLISHED BY 6327435 Canada Ltd. 403-313 Pacific Ave. Winnipeg MB R3A 0M2 Phone 204-453-1965 Fax 204-475-5247 Email issuesissuesink.com issuesink.com PUBLISHER Shawn Brook sbrookissuesink.com EDITOR Mark Halsall mhalsallissuesink.com EDITORIAL Julie Deering Lindsay Hoffman Shannon Schindle Marc Zienkiewicz MARKETING Craig Armstrong carmstrongissuesink.com Brenda Ezinicki bezinickiissuesink.com Sam Mostafa smostafaissuesink.com Hiten Shah hshahissuesink.com CREATIVE Theresa Kurjewicz Lesley Nakonechny DIGITAL Kyle Dratowany Jill Hollosi Caleb MacDonald Lynne Roy CIRCULATION Dean French dfrenchissuesink.com CONTRIBUTORS Julienne Isaacs EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Khalil Al-Mughrabi Benoit Bizimungu Robert C. Bob Hamilton Jason Kehler Keith Kuhl Bill Moons Rick D. Peters Janet Porchak Tracy Shinners-Carnelley Bert Tupling Peter VanderZaag Hubert Zandstra SUBSCRIPTIONS Spud Smart is published four times a year. To subscribe please email subscribeissuesink.com. Canadian subscription rate is 45.00year plus GST. International subscription rate is CDN95.00year. PRINTED IN CHINA Please recycle where facilities exist. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Spud Smart makes no expressed or implied warranties of mechantability or fitness for a particular purpose or otherwise concerning the use of any product and assumes no liability for any injury or damage direct or consequential incurred from the use of such products or services therein. Federal provincial and municipal laws and regulations supersede the information contained within. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40030841. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Issues Ink 403-313 Pacific Ave. Winnipeg MB R3A 0M2 PRIVACY CODE To view our privacy policy visit spudsmart.com. SPUDSMART.COM SPUDSMART SPUDSMARTMAG FROMOURDESK Shawn Brook Publisher Spud Smart