COVID-19 is driving demand for fresh potatoes in supermarkets and grocery stores across the globe as people stock up on inexpensive food. Fresh potato has become a favorite during the lockdown, along with rice, wheat flour, bread and pasta, the International Potato Center (CIP) says in a recently published report. The report was prepared by Samarendu Mohanty, Regional Director for Asia at the International Potato Center.
Mohanty confirms in the report that in the West, where processed products constitute the bulk of potato consumption, demand for fresh potatoes has skyrocketed during these times we live in. The lockdown has also increased demand for fresh potatoes in the developing world. Even in the traditionally non-potato-consuming southern states of India, potato has become popular, in part due to its long shelf life vis-
