In the east of the world, there is a huge country with countless potatoes growing on its land, which not only nourish hundreds of millions of people, but also make waves in the international market.
This country is China. At the same time, in India and Russia, two countries that also attach great importance to potato production, the situation is very different.
India, with an annual production of 50 million tonnes of potatoes, is a country that is heavily dependent on potatoes. However, India faces a number of challenges, including a domestic upsurge and food security issues brought on by its food export policy.
And in cold Russia, with its 21 million tons of potatoes, Russia has managed to transform itself from a wheat importer to a potato exporter, despite its undesirable geography.
China's role in this global landscape is particularly compelling.
India, a country located on the South Asian subcontinent, is known for its rapidly growing population. Every year, millions of newborns croak in this ancient land, resulting in a steady and significant increase in the population.
This sustained population growth has had a profound and complex impact on India's socio-economic development, while also catalyzing the development and expansion of agriculture.
Nearly half of India's vast land is divided into arable land. These fertile lands can be found in all corners of India, from the Gangetic plains to the Deccan plateau, and each piece of arable land is home to great potential for agriculture.
In 2020, India's wheat production reached a staggering 11.3 billion tons, and the rice yield is as high as 11.8 billion tons, the annual output of potatoes has also reached more than 50 million tons, ranking second in the world. These figures not only show the strong productive capacity of Indian agriculture, but also reflect its important position in global food production.
In India, a large agricultural country, despite the fertile land and the world's highest food production, the domestic food crisis has always shrouded the lives of ordinary people like a shadow. Due to the high volume of food exports and high domestic costs, many families face difficulties in accessing basic foodstuffs.
This is the reality of many farmers in India. Although they grow a lot of food, they get little in return because of the low prices they export on the international market. And the high food prices in China make it even more difficult for them to sustain.
This situation is prevalent in India. Although a large amount of food is produced domestically, it is difficult for ordinary people to enjoy the fruits of this "bumper harvest" due to the influence of export policies and market mechanisms. High food prices have put pressure on the diet of ordinary families.
In rural India, farmers are faced not only with cheap purchases**, but also with weather uncertainty and increasing production costs.
They work in the fields in the hope of a better harvest, but the end result is often unsatisfactory. Even so, they persisted because it was the only way for them to survive.
This contradictory phenomenon poses an acute social problem in India. On the one hand, the country's total grain production is among the best in the world, and agricultural exports bring considerable income to the country; On the other hand, the domestic food supply is too much for many ordinary people to bear, resulting in serious food security problems.
In the vast expanse of Russia, agriculture is taking on a very different picture from India. Thanks to its vast land resources and relatively low population density, Russia has made remarkable achievements in ensuring that its citizens have enough food**.
In particular, in the production of wheat and potatoes, Russia has made a dramatic shift from being dependent on imports to becoming a major exporter of the world.
In the Vorga River valley, farmers are busy in potato fields. They take good care of each potato plant to ensure the best yield and quality.
Thanks to the unique climatic conditions and soil characteristics of Russia, potatoes grow here particularly vigorously. After centuries of cultivation and improvement, Russian potatoes have become one of the world's leading brands.
At farmers' markets, Russian agricultural products are very popular. Merchants bought fresh wheat and potatoes from their farms and shipped them to wholesale markets or exported directly to foreign countries. In the markets of large cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg, fresh Russian wheat and potatoes are extremely popular with consumers.
In a small town potato processing factory, workers are busy sorting, washing and packing potatoes. These potatoes will be shipped to domestic and foreign markets.
With the increase in potato production, Russia has gradually become an important potato producer and exporter in the world.
Most of Russia's arable land is located in the western and southern regions, where the climate is relatively mild and the soil is fertile, making it ideal for growing crops.
On these arable lands, wheat, potatoes and other crops are widely cultivated, which not only make full use of these natural resources, but also demonstrate the ability of Russian agriculture to adapt to and overcome natural conditions.
In 2022, Russia's total grain production reached a staggering 133.27 million tons, of which 21 million tons were potatoes. Behind these figures is the continuous efforts and investments of the Russian agricultural sector.
In Siberia, for example, farmers have managed to reap a significant harvest in the land through the use of cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant crop varieties and advanced agricultural technologies, despite harsh climatic conditions.
On Russia's large farms, modern agricultural machinery moves through vast fields, efficiently sowing, irrigating and harvesting. In some specific agricultural areas, such as farms in the Volga River basin, high-quality wheat and potatoes are grown specifically for export.
Here, farmers use precision agriculture techniques to finely manage every stage of crop growth through satellite positioning and ground-based monitoring systems.
In some Russian cities, such as St. Petersburg and Moscow, local markets are filled with agricultural products from all over the country.
In these markets, fresh potatoes, wheat and other food crops attract the attention of consumers with their excellent quality. At the same time, Russian agricultural products are also exported to all parts of the world to meet the needs of different countries and regions.
In the world of potato production, China occupies an indisputable leading position with its huge production.
In 2020, for example, China produced nearly 90 million tonnes of potatoes annually, far surpassing India, which is second in second place. This achievement is attributable to China's long-term strategic planning and continuous key investment in agricultural development.
The geography of Sichuan and Yunnan is very suitable for the growth of potatoes. The mild climate and fertile soil of the Sichuan Basin provide ideal conditions for potato growth.
The plateau climate of Yunnan is also very suitable for potato cultivation, and the large temperature difference between day and night here is conducive to the accumulation of potato starch.
In these areas, large tracts of arable land have been converted into potato growing areas, and vast fields are filled with neat rows of potato plants.
In these growing regions, farmers have adopted a variety of advanced agricultural techniques to improve potato yields and quality.
For example, the fertility and structure of the soil are maintained through crop rotation and proper fertilization, and the healthy growth of crops is protected through integrated pest and disease control. During the harvest season, farmers use mechanized methods to harvest potatoes, which greatly improves efficiency.
Due to the diversity of climatic and geographical conditions, some areas of China are not suitable for growing traditional crops, such as rice or wheat.
In these regions, the potato is the best alternative crop. Not only is it adaptable, but it is also less demanding on the soil, allowing it to grow even in harsh environments.
As a result, much of the farmland that was originally used to grow other crops has been converted into potato fields, which not only solves the livelihood problems of local farmers, but also contributes an important role to China's potato industry.
With the strong support of China, the potato planting industry has developed rapidly. **In addition to providing technical support and training, it also provides financial subsidies to potato farmers.
In addition, agricultural research institutions are encouraged to conduct research and development on potato cultivation technologies, including the development of new varieties with high yields and disease resistance, as well as the development of planting technologies suitable for soil and climatic conditions in various regions of China.
With the continuous improvement of planting technology and policy support, China's potato industry has achieved rapid growth. Every year, China is not only able to keep its potato yield at a certain standard level, but also to continuously improve its yield and quality.
This makes China's potatoes highly competitive in the domestic and foreign markets, making a huge contribution to China's agricultural economy.
In addition to traditional cultivation methods, China has also made remarkable achievements in potato variety improvement and planting technology.
In some agricultural research institutions, scientists are working to develop potato varieties that are more suitable for the local environment, higher yields and disease resistance. These efforts have not only increased the yield of potatoes, but also improved their quality.
In China's towns and cities, the potato is an important food crop and is widely used in a variety of dishes.
In the market, fresh potatoes attract many consumers with their excellent quality. From simple stir-fries to complex cooking methods, potatoes play an important role on the Chinese table.
At the same time, China's potato industry is not limited to the domestic market. With the continuous increase in production and quality, Chinese potatoes have also begun to enter the international market.
Through exports, China's potatoes not only meet the needs of domestic consumers, but also go global, contributing to global food security.
References:
Li Dan, Ma Ping, Yang Fang, Qiao Yan. Grey correlation analysis and principal component analysis of potato yield and agronomic traits[J].Journal of Longdong University,2023,34(5):88-92