Farm.jpg (Photo : Reuters)
Potatoes are now part of China's food staples. Along with rice, wheat and corn, potatoes are now being considered a staple food in order to increase food supply and the overall nutrition of the Chinese people.
The Ministry of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that it is expecting that 50 percent of the annual production of potatoes would be consumed as a staple by the year 2020.
By becoming a staple, this means that the uses for potatoes aside from ordinary consumption would increase. China is set to turn potatoes into noodles, bread and other food products. This crop would also be used for other manufactured goods. Overall, the use of potatoes in various food items is expected to improve the health of ordinary Chinese citizens, the MOA said.
Labeling potatoes as a staple is also one way to improve food security in the country. According to Yi Xinrong, the deputy director of MOA, advancing potatoes into the category of staple foods is in line with the country's goal of adjusting the agriculture structure in the name of sustainable development.
"It was an attempt to ensure food security, ease the pressure on the environment and increase the income of farmers," Yu explained.
The Chinese government is also expected to call for an increase in potato production in the coming years. Adding potatoes as a food staple would not only improve food supply and overall nutrition, it would also not compromise the existing cultivated land allotted for wheat, rice and corn production.
Experts, in light of this new development, claimed that techniques in processing potatoes should be improved as well. They also recognize the need for a campaign that would encourage more people to add potatoes into their daily diet.
