China is the world’s biggest producer, consumer of potatoes

China has become the world’s largest potato producer, accounting for nearly a quarter of the global production, according to a new report. The World Potato Congress was held in Beijing’s Yanqing county yesterday. China plants more than 13.59 million acres of potatoes every year, data provided by World Potato Congress shows. More than 1,000 delegates from developing and developed countries, including growers, researchers, producers, traders, processors and manufacturers attended the conference, state-run People’s Daily reports. On the same day, China launched its Asia-Pacific centre for potato research in Beijing, which will bring new opportunities for the potato industry in China and the Asia Pacific region. As China’s first international agricultural research institute, the centre marks China’s opening up to international cooperation in agriculture. With increased potato production and domestic consumption, China is also the biggest potato consumer in the world, the report says. (The Economic Times, India)