Potato Review

8 POTATO REVIEW MAY/JUNE 2020 SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS Rethinking the supply chain With an increase in demand and the threat of climate change impacting yields, omas Molnar, VP, Head of Global Sles TOMRA Food Sorting, explores why we need to re-evaluate how we produce potatoes. A rapidly growing population, increased demand for produce and the threat of climate change bring with them risks to the food supply chain, and new approaches must be looked at to enable a sustainable future. Perhaps often overlooked within the food crisis though is the potato, which has long been a popular staple of westernised diets and is now rising to prominence within new, emerging markets. Burgeoning demand is good for producers and processors, but is this increase from consumers feasible and stable with the current global state? A growing demand A huge part of society’s diet for the last 400 years, the popularity of potato shows no sign of slowing down. According to the latest gures, it’s estimated that 388,191,000 tonnes of potatoes are produced annually, with China and India combined accounting for a third of all harvested potatoes. e total value of the products is close to £80bn. However, this current trend shows how the potato market has changed over recent years. In the early 1990s, the majority of potatoes were grown and consumed across European and North American markets. Since then however, there has been a huge rise in production within markets such as South America, Africa and Asia. Emerging markets are repositioning the potato as an alternative to rice and wheat, thanks to its nutritional value and being more sustainable to grow. China, in particular, is doing this to help feed the world’s largest population due to the pressures of growing less water-intensive crops. Studies suggest that growing potatoes requires 30% less water than rice, and also returns a higher yield per hectare. e range of uses for potatoes has also instigated its rise in popularity, especially processed potato products. e likes of frozen French fries and potato chips are increasingly becoming consumed more, with 15-20% of the total crop harvested in China alone being used Thomas Molnar

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