Guizhou

Guizhou is one of China’s important potatoes producing provinces and a major part of the country’s Southwest Mixed cropping potato zone. The province’s mountainous and plateau landscapes, substantial elevation variation and relatively cool conditions at higher elevations create diverse environments for potato production. Potatoes are grown as either spring or autumn crops in different parts of the province, allowing production to fit into varied local cropping systems. Guizhou was already one of China’s largest potato-producing regions by the early 2000s; in 2006, it had about 592,800 hectares under potatoes and production of approximately 7.73 million tonnes.

Western Guizhou is particularly important for potato cultivation. Weining County, located at nearly 2,200 m elevation, is widely recognized as a major potato production centre and is known as the “Hometown of the Southern China Potato.” Its high elevation, relatively low temperatures and long sunshine duration provide favourable conditions for tuber development. Research on western Guizhou found that altitude, temperature, precipitation, sunshine and diurnal temperature variation are important factors determining the suitability of spring potato production. A detailed climatic assessment classified about 52% of western Guizhou as most suitable and another 45% as suitable for spring potatoes.

Potato production in Guizhou is important not only for food supply but also for rural livelihoods and regional agricultural development. The crop is particularly suited to the province’s mountainous farming systems, where its ability to produce food on relatively difficult terrain gives it an important role in diversified agriculture. Guizhou has also developed links with potato processing and value-added products, while the broader Southwest China potato sector supplies fresh markets and processing industries. However, productivity remains influenced by complex terrain, limited agricultural infrastructure, climatic variability and disease pressure. Research has also shown that temperature during the potato growing season has a significant influence on yield in western Guizhou, highlighting the importance of suitable planting dates and cultivars.

Potato is an introduced crop in China, and its movement into southwestern China occurred through several historical routes. Research on potato dissemination in neighbouring Yunnan indicates that potatoes had reached southwestern China through routes connected with India, Myanmar, Sichuan and Guizhou during the Ming and Qing periods. One documented route indicates that potatoes entered Zhaotong in Yunnan through southeastern Guizhou around 1843, after which cultivation expanded across northeastern Yunnan and southwestern Guizhou. This provides historical evidence for the role of Guizhou in the wider movement of potatoes through Southwest China.

During the 20^th century, potato cultivation expanded considerably in Guizhou as the crop became increasingly important for food security and farm incomes. In the 1930s and 1940s, efforts to increase food production encouraged wider potato cultivation and agricultural experimentation in Weining contributed to the introduction and evaluation of improved varieties. Guizhou subsequently became one of China's principal potato producing provinces. By 2001, approximately 495,000 hectares were planted to potatoes in Guizhou, producing about 6.41 million tonnes; by 2006, the area had increased to nearly 593,000 hectares. In 2014, Guizhou accounted for about 12.64% of China's potato planting area, demonstrating its long-standing importance within the national potato industry.