Cuba

Potato is an important vegetable crop in Cuba and has long been included among the country’s priority food crops. Commercial production is concentrated mainly in the western and central parts of the island, where the cooler and relatively dry winter season provides the most suitable conditions for tuber development. Havana, Matanzas and Ciego de Ávila have historically been among the major potato-producing areas. Because Cuba’s tropical climate is generally warmer than the potato’s preferred growing environment, production is largely seasonal and irrigation is important in many growing areas.

Cuba’s potato industry is oriented primarily toward the domestic market, with potatoes widely used for household consumption and French fries. The crop has traditionally been grown during the cooler season, when temperatures are more favorable for tuber formation. Historical production data show that Cuban growers have achieved comparatively strong yields under tropical conditions, although production has varied considerably with the availability of seed potatoes, fertilizers, irrigation and other agricultural inputs. The crop is particularly important because it can produce substantial food output within a relatively short growing period.

Potato production in Cuba also has a strong research and seed-development component. Imported seed potatoes, particularly from European and North American sources, have played an important role in commercial production, while Cuban research institutions have worked on variety evaluation, disease management, biotechnology and local seed production. In recent years, reducing dependence on expensive imported seed has become an important objective, with Cuban scientists developing biotechnology-based approaches for producing domestic potato planting material.

The exact date when the potato (Solanum tuberosum) first arrived in Cuba is uncertain. However, the crop was already established on the island by the late 18th century. A written reference from 1778 records difficulties in obtaining suitable potato seed, while FAO sources cite 1798 as an early documented reference to the crop. By the late 19th century, potatoes were being commercially grown in areas such as Güines in Havana and Potrerillo de Gibara in the eastern part of the island. Different seed sources and planting practices were used in these early production areas, reflecting Cuba’s efforts to adapt the crop to its tropical environment.

Potato production expanded more significantly during the 20th century, particularly after the 1920s and later from the 1970s, when improved seed material and varieties better suited to Cuban conditions became available. Seed imported from countries including France and the Netherlands helped increase yields, while Cuban agricultural research gradually strengthened variety selection, disease management and seed multiplication. Production reached about 370,000 tonnes in 2000, according to FAO, after which annual output remained substantial but fluctuated. Potato biotechnology also became an important area of research, with Cuba establishing commercial in-vitro propagation capabilities that included potato among its early target crops. Today, improving domestic seed production remains a major focus of the Cuban potato sector.