Peru does not have a potato processing plant, despite increasing demand

Last Tuesday, farmers and producers of white potatoes raised their voices and went on strike because of the fall in tuber prices. According to farmers, prices started to fall because of the import of pre-fried potatoes from countries like the Netherlands and the US. The pre-fried potatoes are white potatoes that are ready to be fried and be used in meals. This potato is much cheaper than the national product, and therefore producers can’t compete with it, they said. The number of chicken restaurants in the country has grown notably, as well as their preference for pre-fried potatoes. According to Gregory Scott, a researcher at Centrum Catolica and a specialist in the sector, “the concentration of demand in terms of its daily use to supply restaurants has already been established, and this demand could support the creation of a precooked potato processing plant in Peru.” More