User:Nrond/sandbox
Role in world food supply[edit]
| Top Potato producers | |
|---|---|
| in 2006 | |
| Numbers in million tonnes | |
1.  People's Republic of China | 70 (22.22%) |
2.  Russia | 39 (12.38%) |
3.  India | 24 (7.62%) |
4.  United States | 20 (6.35%) |
5.  Ukraine | 19 (6.03%) |
6.  Germany | 10 (3.17%) |
7.  Poland | 9 (2.86%) |
8.  Belgium | 8 (2.54%) |
9.  Netherlands | 7 (2.22%) |
10.  France | 6 (1.9%) |
| World total | 315 |
| Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization | |
Although it was initially feared to be poisonous, the potato became an important staple crop in northern Europe. Famines in the early 1770s contributed to its acceptance, as did government policies in several European countries and climate change during the Little Ice Age, when traditional crops in this region did not produce as reliably as before.[1][2] At times when and where most other crops would fail, potatoes could still typically be relied upon to contribute adequately to food supplies during the colder years. Its yield of Calories per acre (about 9.2 million) is higher than that of maize (7.5 million), rice (7.4 million), wheat (3 million), or soybean (2.8 million).[3] The potato was not popular in France during this time, and it is believed that some of the infamous famines could have been lessened if French farmers had adopted it. Today, the potato forms an important part of the traditional cuisines of most of Europe. Belarus has the highest consumption of potato per capita with each Belorussian consuming 338 kg in 2005.[4][5]
The potato was introduced in the Philippines during the late 16th century, and to Java and China during the 17th century. It was well-established as a crop in India by the late 18th century and in Africa by the mid-20th century.[2]
The United Nations FAO reports that the world production of potatoes in 2006 was 315 million tonnes. The largest producer, China, accounted for one quarter of the global output, followed by Russia and India.
In 2008, several international organizations began to give more emphasis to the potato as a key part of world food production, due to several developing economic problems. They cited the potato's potential for a beneficial role in world food production, owing to its status as a cheap and plentiful crop which can be raised in a wide variety of climates and locales.[6] Due to perishability, only about 5% of the world's potato crop is traded internationally; its minimal presence in world financial markets contributed to its stable pricing during the 2007–2008 world food price crisis.[7][8]
In recognition of this importance, the United Nations officially declared the year 2008 as the International Year of the Potato[9] in order to "increase awareness of the importance of the potato as a food in developing nations" and calling the crop a "hidden treasure".[10] This follows the International Rice Year in 2004.
- ^ Wilhelm Abel (1986). Agricultural Fluctuations in Europe: From the Thirteenth to the Twentieth Centuries. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 9780416925203.
- ^ a b "Columbus's Contribution to World Population and Urbanization: A Natural Experiment Examining the Introduction of Potatoes" (PDF). Harvard University. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
- ^ Audrey Ensminger (1994). Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia. CTC Press. ISBN 9780849389801.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Economist.com Llamas and mash
- ^ International year of the potato website
- ^ As other staples soar, potatoes break new ground By Terry Wade, Reuters, April 15,2008.
- ^ "Getting Out of the food crisis". Global Policy Forum. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ "Potatoes called savior in global food crisis". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
- ^ Khaleej Times Online - UN launches Int'national Year of the Potato
- ^ 'Humble' Potato Emerging as World's next Food Source, p. 20