OBTT organized a conference on the present and future of potato production

Potatoes have been one of the most important non-cereal foods in the world for centuries, on which national cuisines boldly rely, and accordingly, they are utilized in an extremely versatile way. The plant plays a key role in creating global food security, as it can be grown with high yields worldwide, is less exposed to extreme climatic conditions, and at the same time has high nutritional value. Thanks to its properties, it can play a huge role in promoting sustainable agriculture and adapting to climate change. It is therefore no coincidence that the potato was given a world day in 2024 at the initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): since last year, May 30 has officially been International Potato Day.

The National Potato Association and Product Council, which represents this important social issue in our country, organized the sector’s largest professional conference entitled Everything About Potatoes to convey the messages of the World Day. Through the presentations, the participants of the event gained insight into the current situation of Hungarian potato production, learned about the expectations arising from the industry and its performance, and also got a comprehensive picture of the purchasing and consumer habits related to vegetables, but especially to table potatoes.

Gábor Kecskés, President of the National Potato Association and Product Council, highlighted in his opening speech at the conference held at Hungexpo in Budapest: “The Product Council seeks to integrate those producers who are committed to increasing the efficiency of production and providing raw materials that are maximally suitable for retail needs.” He added: “Events like this support the cooperation and collaboration between the players in the sector the most, when those involved in the product chain can think together.”

“Potatoes are not only a staple food, but also an important source of income for rural farms. Our goal is to increase the efficiency of domestic potato production by at least twenty percent in the coming years, and at the same time strengthen the market position of producers”

– Imre Hubai, State Secretary for Agriculture and Rural Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, drew the audience’s attention, who pointed out in his presentation that the Ministry of Agriculture is assisting farmers with numerous supports through the instruments of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): in 2021–2022, more than 10 thousand agricultural and food industry enterprises received a total of more than 1,200 billion forints in support.