As food prices continue to soar in the wake of bio fuels and increasing gas prices, potatoes have taken their place in offsetting this economic strain.
Rice, wheat, and corn have all gone up in price, causing poor countries to flinch at the rising costs and pull back from purchasing as much as before. So many have begun to think up a new way to handle the situation by switching over to a much more economically and environmentally friendly substitute—the potato.
History
The history of the potato goes very far back, thousands of years. With its origins in Peru and Bolivia, the potato was not introduced to Europe until around 1700. It then spread quickly from port to port over the years.
Potato solutions
Potatoes work so well for a great solution because of many factors. They do not require as much land to grow as rice, corn, and wheat. They can basically grow anywhere, at any elevation, in any soil. This makes them a prime food for many regions of the world that are also struggling to pay for their normal commodities.
The potato also does not need the same fertilizers that other crops do. They actually self fertilize. They are a simple food that could make a big difference in the food scene around the world as prices climb.
They are also very nutritious when eaten with the skin left on. They provide a natural source of carbohydrates, vitamins C and B6, potassium, iron, calcium, protein, and many other nutrients.
Price
What keeps the potato from becoming the next thing on the grocery list to go up in price?
For starters, not everyone wants potatoes to eat. They are not something eaten as often around the world as other foods are. This has kept the price down so far. With the lack of cost in producing potatoes, this too can help in continuing to keep costs level.
Also, today, it is hard to ship potatoes due to the fact that they rot easily. This has kept the potato a local commodity. The Potato Famine of Ireland in 1845 was attributed to the rotting of potatoes, called “blight”, in the poor communities of the west.
But this problem is being worked on in the science community. A solution to genetically modify potatoes in resisting rot for longer periods of time is being tested.
The Potato
As the need for efficiency continues to go up, the potato can be regarded as a huge help in that by putting less strain on economies, the environment, and world hunger.
