After five years of field trials, root crop experts at Benguet State University (BSU) in the Phillipines said Benguet farmers could now plant four new potato varieties which possess the desired dry matter content required by fast-food chains to make good French fries.
The varieties--Igorota, Solibao, Ganza and a fourth one which has yet to be given an official tag--are the fruits of intensive research using various clones or potato types.
The researchers found that the use of the varieties increased the farmers' production and income by 25 percent.
According to Dati, the Center's director, there are companies in Manila that already patronize the new varieties to make potato chips.
"But we need to produce more to be able to get the attention of Jollibee or McDonald's,"he said.
He added that fast-food giants could save a lot if they ordered a big chunk of their required supply for French fries from farmers who cultivated the new varieties
