potatoes

Potatoes: A global staple with rising demand and local struggles

It’s hard to imagine a table without them — boiled, fried, baked, in chips or purée — potatoes have become an essential food across the world. Today, they are grown in 159 countries and come in about 5,000 varieties. Despite their simple appearance, the numbers tell a different story. Over the past 50 years, potato cultivation has expanded dramatically. Currently, it covers nearly 20 million hectares of agricultural land. Global production reaches more than 370 million tons each year, making…