South Korea: ‘K-Seed Potato’ production technology exported to Africa

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the introduction of potatoes to Korea. Potatoes, which grow well in poor soil and are rich in nutrients, have been loved widely as a relief crop for a long time. Even now, when food is plentiful, it is popular as an ingredient in a variety of dishes, regardless of whether it is staple food, side dishes, or snacks. Although it is a familiar crop, not many people know how it is produced. Potatoes that are propagated vegetatively are grown using seed potatoes, not seeds. On the 23rd, I visited the Goryeong Area Agricultural Research Institute of the National Institute of Crop Science of the Rural Development Administration and the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Potato Seed Promotion Agency to take a look at the production system of seed potatoes that have been on our tables for a long time. Edible potatoes are mainly summer potatoes that are planted in spring and harvested in summer. The cultivation period is about 100 days, but it ...