Local production unaffected by rising interest in spuds

Thursday, April 24, 2008

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Other than a small amount shipped to the United States. “mainly for potato chip production,” Ontario’s annual potato crop of about 7.5 million hundredweight gets used within the province, he explains. Growers supply about 60 per cent of the province’s market for process and table consumption markets and their crop is divided evenly between the two markets. The remainder comes from Prince Edward Island or areas in the United States.

So although “potatoes would be a good in terms of a very nutritious food and a lot of vitamins,” that would be of benefit to those in need, Brubacher points out that if Ontario growers were to expand, “it would probably be for the local market.”

Besides, to export large amounts would pose some challenges in terms of shipping, he adds, pointing out the spuds would have to be dehydrated if they’re moved over great distances.

Chuck Dentelbeck, a project manager with the Canadian Horticultural Council says a revived interest in the potato is having its effect on the Canadian market but growing export opportunities isn’t one of these.

“From a policy perspective our seed certification system is one of the best in the world,” he says, explaining that other countries are copying the system and therefore reducing the Canadian advantage in international markets.

The trend is also generating an increased focus on enhancing the potato’s drought resistance in order to adapt the tuber to countries that are facing food crises and experiencing a lower rainfall.

“But we have the same issue,” Dentelbeck points out, noting that a “huge drought” in Ontario last year resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in the province’s yields. Moreover, growers throughout the country will also eventually have to face restrictions in water use.

But in terms of exports, so far there isn’t any impact.

Dentelbeck notes that internationally, Canada sits at number 12 in terms of the size of its production. About 55 to 60 per cent of the world production is occurring outside of first world countries and the industry is now dominated by China and India.

Most of Canadian exports end up in the United States (about 80 per cent of the country’s seed crop and 75 per cent of its table crop) with the remainder going to Mexico and the Caribbean. The main competitors in these markets are the Americans and the Dutch. The United Nations (UN) has declared 2008 to be the year of the potato to promote the spud as a cheap source of nutrition and encourage more production.

Since then, a conference that took place in Peru focused on using the crop as a way to generate food in countries with food shortages and this month, Bangladesh, where rice is a staple, began feeding its armed forces potatoes.

According to the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization, global spud production is rising with increases in production ranging about 4.5 per cent each year for the past decade. By 2003, consumption per capita had reached 48.5 pounds compared to 22 pounds consumed from 1961 to 1963.BF

When compared to rice, the spud’s nutritional value is clearly evident. Based on Canada’s Food Guide, one acre’s worth will generate 75,599 servings or 8,315,870 calories. An acre of rice, on the other hand, yields 41,644 servings of rice or 3,516,808 calories worth of rice. BF