China will step up potato production and related industries to improve the world's most populous nation's grain security and help boost income for its millions farmers.
While addressing a recent national-level meeting on development of potato-based industries in Dingxi City of northwest China's Gansu province, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Mr Wei Chao'an said that for China, with huge population, limited land and shortage of water resources, it is very difficult to expand the area of irrigated farmland.
Mr Wei believed that potato, with features such as resistance to drought, cold and wide adaptability has great potential in expansion in sown areas and per-unit output.
While addressing a recent national-level meeting on development of potato-based industries in Dingxi City of northwest China's Gansu province, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Mr Wei Chao'an said that for China, with huge population, limited land and shortage of water resources, it is very difficult to expand the area of irrigated farmland.
Mr Wei believed that potato, with features such as resistance to drought, cold and wide adaptability has great potential in expansion in sown areas and per-unit output.
Mr Wei said his ministry has decided to construct 10 high-yield potato growing demonstration bases in five southern Chinese regions in winter.
China specifically targets to increase the amount of potatoes processed to 20%, a 5% increase compared to the amount processed in 2006.
