Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
7INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2015 SPUDSMART.COM potato farmers have risen out of poverty and the potato industry has become the backbone of those communities she says. According to Feng potatoes are already the fourth most popular food after rice wheat and maize in China the worlds leading producer of potatoes. With this initiative the potato is positioned to become even more important to the Chinese economy. According to Chinese government statistics the nations total planting area for potatoes in 2013 was 5.61 million hectares 13.86 million acres while Chinas total potato production in 2013 was 95.94 million tons. The country plans to double the size of its potato production area as part of its potato as a staple strategy. There are over 50 million jobs in Chinas potato industry. This shows how significant the industry is to local economies and Chinese society says Feng. Feng says the potatos future in China is shaping up to be even brighter. The market for potato consumption has great potential in China. In the last five years potato consumption increased by 40 per cent making China one of the countries with the most rapid growth in potato consumption. TIMES HAVE CHANGED Things werent always this way though. Peter VanderZaag a prominent Canadian potato grower and scientist and a special advisor for World Potato Congress has first-hand knowledge of just how far the potato has come in China since the 1980s. VanderZaag has a stellar reputation in international potato circles spending much time abroad helping countries like China 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. In the three decades since then China has made tremendous strides. Potato production in China has increased six-fold in China over the last 30 years VanderZaag says. When VanderZaag arrived to lead CIP in its effort to build a research centre in China things were beginning to change. He cites a number of factors that were coming There are over 50 million jobs in Chinas potato industry. This shows how significant the industry is to local economies and Chinese society. YAN FENG together at that time to usher in a new era for the potato in the country. It was around then that the Chinese government decided to disband the agricultural co-operatives model that dominated the countrys agriculture industry. Farmers were allowed to operate individual farms free of the rigid structures that governed the co-operatives. That allowed farmers to do as they felt like to run their farms the way each individual farmer wanted to. They soon figured out their own way of farming was much more efficient. Vegetable production increased because they could figure out the most effective way to utilize their own land VanderZaag says. They were no longer controlled by a central governing unit that demanded they produce so many tons of grain equivalent per area. That was wiped clear. The Chinese began to produce more potatoes which grow generally very well there in a variety of different locales in both mountainous areas and at lower altitudes. It was around this time that CIP began its development efforts in China helping to change the perception of the potato in the Peoples Republic. At the time the potato was not sexy. CIP came and opened its office and we made it attractive by offering scholarships training courses new germplasm. We really raised the profile of potatoes and that had a huge impact VanderZaag says. Boosting the potato in China may have been the goal of CIP but the mission wouldnt be successful unless the countrys farmers were given access to new POTATO AS STAPLE ON WPC AGENDA The development of the potato as a food staple is among the topics to be discussed at the 2015 World Potato Congress. A number of prominent Chinese officials are delivering presentations including Yu Xinrong vice minister of the Ministry of Agriculture speaking on the Policy and Strategy for the Development of Chinas Potato Industry and Potato as Staple Food. Another keynote speech by Qu Dongyu chairman of the Potato Association of China is on Strategy Opportunities and Challenges of Potato as Staple Food in Global Chain Context. Other speakers include Romain Cools secretary-general of Belgapom the Belgium potato trade and processing industry association talking about the evolution of staple potato products in Europe Wachira Kaguongo of the National Potato Council of Kenya speaking about the role of potato in African staple foods and Oscar Ortiz deputy director-general of the International Potato Center talking about the staple food use of Peruvian potatoes. Large-scale potato production in the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia. PHOTO AGRICULTURAL TRADE PROMOTION CENTER CHINESE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE.