2008: World Year of the Potato

This is the first time in its history that the UN official says his one year in honor of an Andean product. This is something that should serve to encourage the potato industry and our agriculture, economics, culture and dignity and to promote national unity and integration in Latin America.

The pope than to cassava, the other raw beet and theirs (like sweet potato or yam or potato or olluco smooth) as the most consumed tuber in the world. There are only three foods that are grown this corn, wheat and rice. However, unlike these three grains (whose participation in global production has been falling), potato growing has increased growth. Today there are around 330 million tonnes of potatoes worldwide (more than eleven times in the 1960s).

Origin of the potato

The potato is the input of the southern hemisphere has been extended over the northern hemisphere. The origin of domestication between Peru and Bolivia would be 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, while others argue that since before it was collected in southern Chile (Chiloé Island and even the first human settlement in South America: 12.500 Monte Verde ago years).

While the Europeans imposed their beliefs in the Andes, laws and languages, the Incas, Mapuches Chibcha and "revenge? of them won by the palate. A 45 years that begin capturing Pizarro of Peru (1532), potatoes begin to be cultivated in Europe. Despite initial reactions it was making headway. In Scotland, where he initially wanted to veto the grounds that the Bible does not mention it, today he idolizes.

The Pope went on to become an essential food of the British, who developed the largest empire in history. The UK was also the center of the revolution that would industrialize the globe. However, the pope they were essential to achieve this, for those new workers who work twelve or more hours a day in factories and mines, it it was easy and quick to cook and provided them with lots of carbohydrates and energy.

There it was so important that, when there was a plague in the Irish potato crop in 1845-48, there was the greatest famine on record that kingdom (one million dead). Until now, Ireland, although it has become one of the most prosperous nations in the world, only contains 50% of the population that was even before the epidemic.

Elizabeth II still can boast of being the head of state dominates more territories in the world, but at home the potato is the queen of their tables. In Britain there is no dish that does not use it or no school who do not cook every day dozens of kilos of it. One of the weapons that the island had to avoid being invaded by the Germans in two world wars was its balanced diet of potatoes and fried fish.

Every country that seeks to be an industrial power has had to follow the English example of massively production and consumption of potatoes. Long U.S. produces more potatoes than Peru. The Soviet Union would produce one hundred million tons of it per year, then none. The nation that consumes more potatoes per capita is the German Axis power in Europe and the euro. Today, as China and India are full of new potato factories there expanded rapidly. In these two countries Inca tuber production now exceeds one hundred million tons and yellow giant discuss proposals for cultivation in most of their fertile acres. The latter is a paradox of globalization as the coast from where the potato crop is the fastest growing of rice, native to China and India.

Pope multifaceted

In the industrialized world the potato are served fried, baked, boiled or au gratin, in soups or salads, mashed, hash browns, pancakes or crispy dumplings. The Spanish combined with eggs in their omelettes. Italians, Slavs and Jews used to fill pasta. The Russians to distill vodka.

Andeans also prepare it in other ways: dry, dehydrated ice (chuño, tunta), fill or cause. While in the North are only produced few varieties of the potato in the Andes more than 5,000 varieties of potatoes.

With potato flour and starch is (which is used to make cakes, pastries, ice cream and cookies). It is also used in the wood industries and paper, medicines and tissues such as rubber binder or texturizer.

When the Spanish arrived in the new world sought gold, but instead found this yellow tuber, it has been more precious than any metal to mankind, which is used for oil wells and is starting to be processed to make ethanol: the possible substitute black gold.

The potato liquor is the drink logo Slav world, the greatest country that ever existed (Russia) and what they claimed to be the center would lead to socialism to all mankind. During the bipolarity, while the Soviets celebrated their victory with alcohol each potato, American rivals did tasting fries.

The latter have become a symbol of American victory in the Cold War and globalization. This is a common product used in all the great mega-fast food chains (such as KFC, McDonald's, Burger King).

More Catholic than the Pope

The potato is very important for the Andean culture. The large pre-Columbian civilizations as Huari, Tiawanaco or the Inca were based on production. States is based canalization ensuring exchange and storage of foods such as potatoes. The plots were measured on how many potatoes they, for reasons such as height, could produce. To grow potatoes were generated various forms of association (such as mink'ao ayni) and tribute.

The potato is part of the history and culture of the western South American republic. Today should be a source of national pride and identity for the ten million Andean migrants to survive in the northern hemisphere. As the world recognizes the following as their ancestors exported to the world as the symbol of 2008, this year, paradoxically, is also one where accrue the largest Andean immigration restrictions against the industrialized North.

The potato should be one of our banners to defend the rights of Andean abroad and to promote our exports and tourism to our republic. Hopefully this year devoted to the Pope allow it. Meanwhile we can proudly show our children that our ancestors were the Pope of the roots and dad feed the world.

International Analyst

www.bigio.org