Indonesia largest potato producer in SE Asia

Indonesia is the largest potato-producing nation in Southeast Asia with an annual production of 1.1 million tons, a minister said. "Indonesia is the largest potato-producing country in Southeast Asia. The prospects for potato production in the world market are quite good because it supports the global food security,"Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said when opening the 2008 National Potato Week in Lembang district, West Java, on Thursday evening. The event is one of the efforts to support the activities of the UN which has declared 2008 "The Year of Potato"to strengthen the global food security following a drop in the global production of foodstuffs including cereals. "Potato can be used as a foodstuff besides rice, wheat and corn,"the minister said. He said the national potato consumption has shown an upward trend in the past few years. "The latest data show the national potato production increases by nearly 5 percent per year. Potato is currently grown on 60,000 hectares of land in the country,"he said.