Hungría: Will cassava become Hungary’s potato?
The world consumes a lot of bread and pasta, but potatoes and other tubers are not sacrificed either. Moreover, the many edible tubers will ensure people’s long-term food supply even in a changing climate. Hungary must also change.
Global demand for potatoes is growing
In the long term, it may be more worthwhile to invest in potato production than in grains: global market demand for potatoes is expected to grow by 57 percent between 2022 and 2050, while that for rice is only 12 percent and that for wheat is only 17 percent, vg.hu cites Bloomberg analysts.
It is a fact that climatic conditions in our country are becoming less and less favorable for potato cultivation. In a year with strong winds and UV radiation, yields also decline on irrigated lands. (See : Our potato harvest this year is below all expectations .) Potato production in Hungary has decreased by a third in 10 years.
Alternative tubers are making headway
However, the production limit of sweet potatoes is moving further and further north, and in Hungary they are also successfully cultivated in Pest County. Who knows, one day tubers such as yams or cassava will also be included in Hungarian production.
None of the above are closely related to each other, but sweet potatoes and potatoes belong to at least the same order. Sweet potatoes require a warmer climate than potatoes and, after an initial high water requirement, tolerate drier conditions well. Cassava has even higher temperature and rainfall requirements, but is also more resistant to summer drought. Yams are much more demanding on soil and a more even water supply than the other tuber crops mentioned, and they also thrive in tropical heat – the Hungarian climate will hopefully not be suitable for them for a long time.
According to Bloomberg, these alternative tubers could have a bigger career than potatoes: global demand for them could increase by 77% by 2050.
Fuente: mezohir.hu
