Mexico (Hopelchén-Campeche): The Mennonite community is making progress with the red potato harvest and is looking to position itself in the market
They are looking to break into the marketing market, and this time they have obtained a good harvest on the half hectare they cultivated in their home garden, located in field 7.
On their farm, they reported a good harvest this year and are already reaping the first fruits. The first boxes of red potatoes are being sold at a local store, located northeast of the municipal capital, 22 kilometers from the city of Hopelchén.
Guillermo Panna explained that he, along with four other partners, decided to cultivate again this year after an initial trial last year, which motivated them to expand planting as part of a sustainable agricultural innovation strategy.
This season, they opted to expand the planted area, reaching half a hectare dedicated to red potatoes. He explained that the complete planting and cultivation process takes approximately 75 days, and they began the first harvests last week, estimating at least another month to continue harvesting.
He also mentioned that part of this first harvest is sold at the main store in the Mennonite community, although occasionally some merchants from other towns in the municipality or from the southern part of the state buy one or two sacks. He acknowledged that, although red potatoes are not as popular as the white or yellow varieties, they are working hard to introduce them as a viable option in the market.
Regarding the price, they currently offer a kilogram for between 28 and 30 pesos, depending on the quantity purchased. They emphasized that they only sell top-quality potatoes; the smaller, lesser-sized ones, known as "pachanga," are not sold but given away.
With the aim of promoting the consumption of red potatoes, they highlighted their distinctive characteristics: a smoother skin with a reddish tone, differentiating them from white or yellow potatoes that usually have a rougher, brown or yellow skin.
See moreStudy trips for potato cropsAgricultural management softwareCentral MarketFinally, they noted that in addition to the plot dedicated to red potatoes, they have another one where they are currently producing watermelon.
Fuente: poresto.com
