Peru has increased its area planted with potatoes by 14.2%, from 280,000 hectares in the 2005/2006 campaign to 320,000 hectares in the 2012/ 2013 season, the country’s Agriculture and Irrigation Ministry (Minagri) said.
Juan Manuel Quevedo, Minagri’s official, explained the constant increase in the cultivated area was the result of the increase in potato consumption, which in turn has led to an increase in the price of the tuber.
"In 2002, a strategic plan was established to strengthen the potato chain aimed at regulating areas of hybrid potatoes,” said Quevedo, specialist of the potato chain at the Peruvian ministry,
freshplaza.com reported.
He added, “The mechanism also encourage the cultivation of alternative crops such as native potatoes, quinoa and corn, which led most producers of hybrid potatoes to plant native varieties”.
"Native potatoes, which have a farm price of S/1.20, were promoted; thus, the price of hybrid potatoes immediately boosted and their value in the field became more appropriate,” Quevedo told reporters.
Currently, he said, the price of hybrid potatoes in the field is of S/ 0.60 and added their field price was of S/ 0.20 per kilo when the plan had started.
(END) INT/LOG
Published: 6/7/2014