China turns to potatoes as staple food

After relying on rice and wheat for millennia, China could soon turn to a new staple: potatoes. The country’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced that by 2020, 50% of the country’s production of potatoes will be consumed as a staple food.

Potatoes will be used for noodles, steamed bread and other staple food products, opening up opportunities for manufacturing and - according to the MOA - leading to a healthier diet for the Chinese population.

The move is part of the government’s drive to achieve sustainable development through adjusting the agriculture structure, China’s Global Times reported.

“It was an attempt to ensure food security, ease the pressure on the environment and increase the income of farmers,” said Yu Xinrong, a deputy director of the MOA.

Experts have suggested that potato processing techniques be improved to meet the demand. A campaign promoting potato consumption was also suggested.

Liu Lan, general secretary of the China Dietitian Association, says China is struggling with a huge population but limited farmland, making potatoes a suitable supplement to the present staple food system.

“As the vegetable is easy to grown even in barren land, it would also guarantee food supply,” Liu said. “The potato as a staple food is a good suggestion. It is of higher nutritional value compared with wheat and rice flour, which lose considerable dietary fibre and nutrients during processing.”

“The decision would encourage the increased planting of potatoes and bring some improvements to the food processing industry specialising in potato production, but this would require greater government support,” Guo Baoqing, deputy director of the www.cngrain.com data centre, told the Global Times.

But changing consumption habits could prove difficult, according to Guo.

“With abundant production of traditional staple food in China, most people still eat rice or wheat. It will take much longer before people change their eating habits.”