Mexico: The increase in the price of potatoes benefits producers in the northern mountains of Tlaxcala.

The activation of the rural economy, favorable market  prices and the generation of temporary employment are some of the benefits that the white potato harvest brings to the northern mountains of Tlaxcala, covering 11 municipalities, during the spring-summer cycle that is about to end. 

Despite the delay in the rains, the production of the tuber has reached levels of quality and good size, which has allowed it to enter the national market with prices not seen in the last three years, according to leaders of the Terrenate Potato Growers Association.

Currently, the Fianna variety is being sold for 12,000 pesos per ton. Intermediaries distribute it to the wholesale markets in Puebla and Mexico City, with the harvest 70% complete in the higher altitude, cooler municipalities of Puebla and Tlaxcala—ideal conditions for this traditional food in the local diet.

The first harvests in the northern mountains began in August in municipalities such as Emiliano Zapata, Atltzayanca and Terrenate, while the last ones will be harvested in Las Vigas, Tlaxco.

With an annual planting of 220 hectares of rainfed land, Tlaxco is positioned as the leader in the state’s potato production, with the higher altitude communities having the largest annual volume. 

For potato harvesting, forty person-days are required per hectare, yielding between 15 and 25 tons per hectare. Each worker earns between 300 and 400 pesos daily, depending on their assigned task. Approximately 150 hectares were planted in Terrenate, while San José Villarreal has 100 hectares, representing 50% of its communal land area dedicated to cultivation.

This year there has been a good harvest and prices have remained stable for top-quality potatoes, which are ideal for frying and selling with added value, said José Dionisio Rodríguez, a producer from San José Villarreal.

Potatoes are grown at temperatures close to five degrees Celsius using seeds from Sinaloa, adapted to higher altitudes. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 516 hectares have been planted in Tlaxcala, with an estimated production of seven thousand tons for 2023.

Tlaxco leads production with 220 hectares, followed by Hueyotlipan with 62 hectares. Other notable areas include Terrenate, Atltzayanca, Atlangatepec, Emiliano Zapata, Sanctórum de Lázaro Cárdenas, Nanacamilpa, Españita, and Cuapiaxtla. Huamantla stands out for its large-scale production using sprinkler irrigation systems.