Potato perspective

Potatoes are the largest crop sold through the fresh produce markets in SA and rank fourth on the world list of major foodstuffs. Thanks to the UN-sponsored International Year of the Potato, celebrated in 2008, and the promotional effort from Potatoes South Africa (PSA), I’m sure South Africans are more “potato aware”.
I recently read a booklet from the PSA, entitled The South African Potato Industry in Perspective. This handy A5 reference guide is full of statistics on the local potato sector. This week, I’d like to discuss potatoes globally and how Africa shapes up. Did you know the world has 19,3 million hectares under potatoes? That Africa ranks fourth with over 1,5 million hectares, producing around 16,3 million tons? Sadly, the continent ranks lowest on yield, averaging 11t/ha. Top yields go to North America with 37t/ha and Asia/Oceana scoops first place with 8,7 million hectares under production, yielding 137,2 million tons. North America has only 3% of the world’s total hectares, while Africa has 8%. The average yield for the world is 17t/ha.
The figures for Africa make interesting reading (see table). Malawi’s figures are somewhat distorted because they include sweet potatoes. The average yield for Africa is 11t/ha. SA ranks top with a respectable 35t/ha, only 2t behind North America. Our farmers must be doing something right.
As any good farmer knows, it’s not the area you plant that counts, but what you pick off it. This is clearly illustrated in the figures. Most of Africa has a long way to go. On a continent where millions are starving, the potato is very underutilised and needs to take its rightful place as one of nature’s most nutritious food sources.
The need to improve yield is clear but solutions aren’t so simple. Much is being done by many roleplayers and the PSA, but more is needed.
Isn’t this an opportunity for government to back our potato sector and use this as the catalyst for helping our neighbours address the serious issues around food production and nutrition in Africa? – Mike Cordes
Contact Mike Cordes on [email protected].     |fw