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[Adventurer]

Peru's potato passion goes global
By Dan Collyns
BBC News, Ayacucho, Peru



Peruvians are very proud of their potatoes
At harvest time in the highland village of Paucho, the first crop of potatoes are baked in a hole in the ground covered with hot rocks, in a ceremony called Watia - a homage to Pacha Mama, or Mother Earth.

For thousands of years, the potato has been the staple diet of the people of the Andes.



It was first cultivated on the

Altiplano of modern-day Peru and Bolivia, and Peru still has some 2,800 varieties of potato, more than any other country.

Like many people, I took the humble spud for granted, but after the launch of the UN Year of the Potato in Ayacucho in the Peruvian Andes, I am repentant at my lack of reverence for the third biggest food staple in the world.

Boost consumption

I have never seen a vegetable invoke such high passions and poetry.

It was the theme for a seamless succession of carnival floats, colourful costumes, and traditional dance and music. All this was punctuated by cries of "la papa es Peruana" - "the potato is Peruvian", just in case anyone forgot.

Despite this, consumption of the potato in Peru has dropped to half that of many European countries, with many Peruvians turning to rice or bread.


Many potato-producing communities are very poor

But internationally high food prices, especially wheat - 80% of which is imported in Peru - are causing hardship for the country's poor, who make up almost half the population.

Peru's agriculture minister, Ismael Benavides, says the native potato is the answer.

The government is trying to boost its consumption by encouraging more people to eat bread baked with potato flour, starting with schoolchildren and prisoners.

"When I went to the UN in October to launch the International Year of the Potato somebody from an Eastern European country, Ukraine I think, said to me 'I didn't realise that potatoes came from Peru'. That showed me that we had to claim our place," Mr Benavides said at the festival.

"The potato is very important in the diet worldwide and in this age of rising commodity prices... a number of countries, such as China and India, are looking to double or triple their production."

[Kuros]

The potato isn't that healthy for you.

The whole virtue of it is its easy to grow and easy to throw in any meal.

[Czarjorge]

Peru should be proud of the yam. It's a pretty complete food. Then again Puerto Rico's got them licked with the golden sweet potato. Most perfect food in the world.

[Kuros]

[Czarjorge]

It's possible, though the article does say potatoes. If I remember my study of yams and taters they both originated in the areas around the Andes and spread from there.

Yams are more healthy than potatoes. They have a good amount of protein, carbs and a decent range of vitamins and minerals.