Comparison of potato production in three countries: Russia ranks last, India has 50 million tons, how much in China?
Potatoes, also known as potatoes, are one of the most common food crops in China.
For China, potatoes are an exotic crop introduced to East Asia in the late Ming Dynasty, but large-scale cultivation in China began in the later period of the Qing Dynasty.
After the introduction of potatoes into China, they saved many lives during famine periods, contributing to the population growth during the Qing Dynasty.
Nowadays, India is similar, with at least 500 million poor people relying on potatoes for sustenance.
So, what is India's potato production? It's approximately 50 million tons.
Potatoes are crucial for India, much like bananas in Africa.
Potato cultivation doesn't require breeding; you can simply cut a potato into pieces and plant them in soil, leading to high yields. The yield of potatoes per acre can reach up to 5,000 kilograms.
Furthermore, potatoes are very versatile in cooking; they can be steamed, boiled, or baked, unlike wheat and rice, which need processing to remove the husk.
India's major potato-producing areas are Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal, among others, with these states having the highest yields.
According to the cultivated area, several states in southern India are the main regions for potato cultivation.
Although India has the world's largest arable land area, it cannot effectively utilize these resources due to its hot and humid climate.
During the monsoon season, a large amount of freshwater is lost, limiting crop growth during the dry season.
In 2022, India's total grain production was 324 million tons, including potatoes, while rice production was only 297 million tons, far lower than China's average yield of 798 kilograms per mu.
In China, although potatoes are considered a staple crop, Chinese people generally regard them as vegetables and seldom consume them as the main staple food.
In contrast, Indians consider potatoes their staple food.
The same situation also occurs in Russia. In many parts of Russia, potatoes are one of the staple foods.
Last century, when the Soviet Union vigorously promoted maize cultivation, potatoes were relegated to a secondary position.
It was later found that Russia's climate was not suitable for maize cultivation, and the area dedicated to potato cultivation gradually increased.
However, Russia's potato cultivation production is only 21 million tons, less than India.
However, Russia's population is only over 100 million, yet its grain production is abundant. Unlike India, where citizens may face famine, the government vigorously exports grain.
So, how much is China's potato production?
The answer might surprise you: China's annual production exceeds 90 million tons, ranking first in the world.
China's main potato-growing areas are concentrated in the North China Plain, with the planting area continuously expanding.
Although China has achieved self-sufficiency in grain production, potatoes remain one of the most important crops for maintaining China's food security, comparable to maize.
In the future, China's per capita land area will still be relatively low, only 1.36 mu, less than India's 1.7 mu, and there are still large areas of fallow land in rural China.
To maintain food security, the planting area of potatoes must be increased.
In addition, in China's northwest region, efforts are being made to reclaim desert and saline-alkali land, which were previously unsuitable for grain cultivation.
For example, the Mu Us Desert at the junction of Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi has now become an oasis.
Although these areas are not suitable for rice and wheat cultivation, potato cultivation has shown significant results, with yields generally exceeding 4000 kilograms.
Having potatoes as a staple food has its pros and cons.
The advantage is that they are very nutritious. Nutritionists have found that consuming only potatoes without other foods can still maintain good health.
In comparison, relying solely on maize, wheat, or rice is insufficient, and sweet potatoes are even less desirable.
In fact, the yield of sweet potatoes is higher than that of potatoes, and cultivation is more convenient.
However, as a staple food, sweet potatoes can cause a feeling of bloating, and long-term consumption may affect health, while potatoes do not.
However, the drawback of potatoes is that they are not easy to store.
Especially in high temperatures and humidity, potatoes are prone to sprouting.
Sprouted potatoes are absolutely inedible because they produce solanine, which is harmful to the body.
Therefore, if potatoes are to be used as a staple food, they must be heavily processed to extract the starch or made into potato noodles, etc., to facilitate easier preservation.
Potatoes in northern regions have a longer shelf life, but compared to grains such as wheat and rice, they still cannot be compared.
With proper preservation, these grains can be stored for more than five years, and even aged rice can be processed into white rice.
In addition, potato starch can be hydrolyzed into sugar, and both types of sugar are strategic commodities that can save lives during famine.
Many agricultural experts believe that potatoes are one of the most important staple foods for the future of humanity.
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