FAO supports Peru to establish an 'International Potato Day'
The Agriculture Committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the Peruvian initiative to establish May 30 as the "International Potato Day" and its approval is expected in the Council and in The FAO Conference, for its subsequent presentation to the United Nations General Assembly, announced the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri).
The proposal was presented and supported by the Deputy Minister of Policies and Supervision of Agrarian Development, Juan Altamirano Quispe, and obtained the unanimous support of the governments of America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania, which allowed its approval by consensus.
The Midagri indicated that this is a very important achievement for Peru, the center of origin of the potato, and a worldwide recognition and revaluation of their high Andean inhabitants, who domesticated this wonderful tuber thousands of years ago; in addition to the visibility of the importance of the Peru nation as a megadiverse country and a great supplier of food to humanity, before, today and in the future.
The potato is one of the five most important crops on the planet, it is produced in more than 150 countries, on around 20 million hectares.
With a wide genetic variety of more than 5,000 hybrids, cultivars and varieties; being around 4,000 in the Andean region, today it constitutes one of the five main basic foods of humanity, managing to double its consumption in the last 30 years.
Small Producers
At the global level, the establishment of "International Potato Day" will raise awareness of the importance of sustainable production and the stability of value chains, including the availability of water and fertilizers.
It will help Peru foster opportunities for small producer organizations, promote synergies with other countries for the exchange of technologies and innovations, and improve food systems.
Thus, Peru leads the International Coalition that manages the establishment of the "International Potato Day", having assumed the commitment to support the proposal in all the necessary mechanisms until it is approved.
After this acceptance, the proposal will go to the FAO Council and later to the United Nations General Assembly for final approval; waiting for the world to celebrate for the first time "International Potato Day" on May 30, 2024.
From July 18 to 22, 2022, the 28th session of the FAO Committee on Agriculture, which is the governing body that provides global guidance on policies and regulations regarding agriculture, agriculture, took place in the city of Rome, livestock, food safety, nutrition, rural development and management of natural resources.
Vice Minister of Policies and Supervision of Agrarian Development of Peru, Juan Altamirano Quispe.
Peru became the first potato producer in Latin America, with a production of 5.7 million tons of the Andean tuber registered in 2021, reported the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri).
Midagri pointed out that Peru leads the Latin American continent in potato production, surpassing countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Ecuador.
Meanwhile, worldwide, Peru ranks 16th in terms of production, led by China, followed by Belarus, Poland, Kazakhstan, Holland, Germany, among others.
In 2021, potato production involved a harvested area of 330,790 hectares and a higher average yield of 17.1 tons/hectare, generating more than 110,000 permanent jobs.
The Gross Value of Potato Production as of December last year reached S/5,525 million (USD 1,505 million).
Potato cultivation at the national level is produced by 711,313 families distributed in 19 regions, the agricultural areas with the highest production being Puno, Huánuco, Cusco, Cajamarca, Huancavelica, Junín, among others.
Production is concentrated primarily in the departments of the mountains by 90%, highlighting the group of native potatoes.
