Innovative products such as 14 Inkas — vodka made from ecological Andean native potatoes, which is well accepted in the domestic market and now ventures into international ones— are being displayed at the 10th World Potato Congress in South-Andean city of Cusco.
Attendees will be able to see other products like native potato chips —exported to Europe with an organic and fair-trade certified label— as well as frozen
native potatoes, which are mainly shipped to China now.
Frozen native varieties create new jobs and markets for small producers, Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) Project Coordinator at
International Potato Center (CIP) Miguel Ordinola pointed out.
"The
World Potato Congress serves to show that Peru's potential in this product is significant, that added value is highly important to appreciate biodiversity, and that it is time to access the global market," he told Andina news agency.
As for 14 Inkas, Ordinola said the company has been operating since this year and works with producers of five different varieties grown in Andean Huancavelica region.
"The idea is to improve the concept of vodka, which in the western world is a broad-based commodity but in our case is a product aimed at fine taste connoisseurs who appreciate a native potato vodka with a different taste and aroma," he added.
For the moment —he continued— this vodka is produced by only one local company, and the plan is to start exporting in the second half of the year.
To that end, the whole business issue will be discussed with foreign participants of the Congress.
(END) TMC/MAO/RMB/MVB
Published: 5/30/2018