The southernmost seedbed in Chile manages to produce more than 130 tons of potatoes in the last three years

Published Mar 27, 2024

Tridge summary

In the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic region, the Agricultural Research Institute (INIA), with support from the Regional Government, has significantly boosted potato production through two key programs. These initiatives have led to the establishment of Chile's southernmost certified potato seedbed, aiming to enhance food sovereignty and security. Despite facing challenges such as the pandemic and international route blockades, the projects have successfully increased the local supply of potato seeds, supporting over 360 small and medium producers annually with high-demand varieties. Over three seasons, these efforts have resulted in the production of 130 tons of seed potatoes and the distribution of over 15,000 kilos of potatoes per year to the region's most vulnerable families, highlighting the projects' substantial impact on local agriculture and food security.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

In recent years, the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic region has experienced a true renaissance in potato production, becoming an epicenter of innovation and food sovereignty. This, thanks to two programs of the Agricultural Research Institute (INIA), of the Ministry of Agriculture of Chile, which has allowed the consolidation of the southernmost certified potato seedbed in the country. This tuber is one of the most consumed in Chile and plays a fundamental role in the diet of the national population. In Magallanes, potato consumption per inhabitant is approximately 50 kilos per year and occupies first place in terms of cultivation area in the region: 56 hectares according to the latest INIA report in 2022. However, these figures were threatened in 2020. with the pandemic and, in 2021, with the blockade of international routes, a situation that left Magallanes with a serious risk of food shortages. In this context, the projects "Recovery of potato production and health in ...

Source: InfoAgro