Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Peru consumes less potato than European countries, authorities concerned

(LIP-ir) -- Even though Peru has 2,800 of the 3,900 varieties of potatoes that exist in the world today, the country's per capita consumption of the tuber is only 77 kilograms (170 pounds) per year.

According to the Andean country's ministry of agriculture (MINAG), Peru's per capita consumption of potatoes is equivalent to approximately half of the per capita consumption of the tuber in several European countries.

MINAG estimates that 260 thousand hectares of land are used for the production of potatoes across the country.

"Our country produces 3.2 million tons of potato annually and 64 percent of the nation's production takes place in the areas of Cajamarca, Cusco, Huánuco, Junín, La Libertad and Puno. It is estimated that 600 thousand farmers produce potato," reported MINAG.

As a part of the goals set for the International Year of the Potato, a celebration established for 2008 by the United Nations, MINAG hopes to increase the country's per capita consumption from 77 kilograms to 100 kilograms (220 pounds) per year.

The minister of agriculture pointed out that countries such as Russia, Poland, Ireland and The Netherlands had per capita consumptions between 100 and 140 kilograms (308 pounds) per year.

Click here to read more about the International Year of the Potato and here to find out why potatoes are one of the 101 Reasons to be Proud of Peru.

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# Rene says :
25 March, 2008 [ 13:50 ]

It is not so strange that Peru does not consume as much potatoes as for example The Netherlands. Many Peruvian dishes are with rice and the potato is added to that. In the Netherlands the potato is a substantial part of the daily dinner consisting of potatoes, vegetables and meat. Also, favorite in the Netherlands are the french fries and the potato chips. As a dutchman I would not want to recommend the Peruvian to go down that path, since the Peruvian kitchen is much more varied.

# CouchPotato says :
25 March, 2008 [ 16:52 ]

Why not promote consumtion of something more healthy.  Potatoes are great, but startches are certainly not the greatest food.   I was amazed that humans eat so many potatoes anyway. 

I agree with Rene, don't go down that path. 

# CapitanDan says :
25 March, 2008 [ 19:32 ]

I think we should promote the use and planting of potatoes.Rice is more labor intensive and needs much more water to produce, where as the Potato, can be grown in the mountains by the poor farmers on marginal land. Thus we help our poor rural farmers and import less Wheat and corn. Potatoes can be baked, fried and made into soups. Also the skin is edible. Rice production in this country is limited by the available land. Just maybe Mr. Potato can be Mr. Peru.This is something to consider.