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At the biennial Conference of the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) "in
November 2005, the Permanent Representative of Peru proposed to declare
2008 the year of the potato.
And rightly so the initiative was fully legitimate
from the historical and cultural point of view. The potato, in fact,
originated in the Andes, in South America, and dates back to about 8000
years ago its cultivation for domestic purposes as ordinary feeding of
the people here. To us "Solanum tuberosum" arrived in the sixteenth
century on the caravels returning in the open traffic towards Europe
following the commercial developments of the American exploratory
enterprise of Christopher Columbus inaugurated in the year 1492.
This tuber is important in human nutrition for its contribution of
vitamins and minerals. As an example of nutrient levels, consider a
medium sized potato which corresponds to a weight of about 150 grams. If
eaten with the skin it provides 27 mg of Vitamin C (45% of the
recommended daily dose). 620 mg potassium (18% of the recommended daily
dose). 0.2 mg of Vitamin B5 (10% of the recommended daily allowance).
There are also traces of thiamine, riboflavin, folates, niacin,
magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc. And finally the contents of the
potatoes has several phytochemical compounds such as carotenoids and
polyphenols.
"The potato represents the fourth world cultivation after rice, wheat
and corn, with an annual production of over 300 million tons", as stated
by NeBambi Lutaladio, experienced FAO and coordinator of the
International Year of the Potato.
In the world there are more than 300 countries, from America to China,
from India to Northern Europe, from the Ukraine to our house, in
Campania. Yes, because our area is one of the most productive and of
high quality of potatoes.
In 2007 world production of
potatoes was 320 million tons and its consumption is increasing rapidly
in developing countries. Since only a small part of production is placed
on the international market, the price of potatoes fluctuates less and
is more resistant to speculation.
According to the data of the Coldiretti in Italy the potato is the
second vegetable production after the tomato industry, with a harvest of
1.8 million tons achieved in almost 70 thousand cultivated hectares from
about 29 thousand companies. Campania and Emilia Romagna are leading the
production with 14% each. Below Sicily with 12%, with 9% in Calabria,
Abruzzo with 9% in Calabria, Abruzzo with 9% and the Veneto with 8% of
the national tricolor production. We Italians consume an average of 40
kilograms apiece, while the countries of North-Western consumption is
double and almost triple in Eastern Europe.
The CIA, Italian Confederation of Agriculture, specifies that Italy
produces about 1% of the world quantity with its 2 million tons, 1.6
million ordinary potatoes and 0.4 million "novelle" for an economic
value of 600 million euros. But the national market is in great
distress. Production costs are increasing; consumption is constricted;
you can not place the product, either in Italy or abroad, the companies
are in crisis; foreign products are flourishing, especially French, 50%
of Egyptian and 21% of the total.
The CIA calls "a market more transparent by providing correct
information on the origin of the product and measures aimed at promoting
national production."
This year was really a tragedy for the farmers of Campania, especially
those of Agro-Acerrano Mariglianese-Nolano. It offered 5 euros for a
hundred kilograms of potatoes: insufficient even for the mere recovery
of production costs. Perhaps to influence negatively has been also the
harmful label of the territorial belonging to the 'triangle of death
"marked by the dioxins.
However to realize the real performance of the year 2008 "pataticola" in
our area we encountered a small producer. Sebastian Cerciello, 81 years
of Brusciano, 5 children three boys and two girls. Owner of about 10
bushels of land including three leased and 7 cultivated directly. The
farmer Sastiano has stated with so much bitterness that "the 5 bushels
destinated to the cultivation of potatoes, three in Contrada Spena at
Marigiliano and two near the Masseria De Ruggiero Brusciano, I made all
blend together with the tractor, land and products, because the proceeds
would not be enough even to pay for the labor. "
But how much is it to work a bushel of land for a production cycle of
the potato. Zi Sastiano or wineshop keeper has been saying that as a
child faces the country life. We begin by becoming aware of the extent
of a bushel, which equals about 4,000 square meters of surface.
In late February early March sowing. To sow a bushel of land it takes 9
hundred kilograms of potato at a cost of 0.70 per kg for a total of
63,00 euros. For rolling and hoeing we ask for 120,00 euro. For two days
of irrigation at 40,00 euros each for a total of 80.00. For pesticides
it requires 10 kg. of vermicide product for a total of 40.00 euros;
verdigris spray three times, once every 7 kg of products, others around
150.00 euros. For the sulfate to be administered twice, for a total of 8
hundred kilograms at 25 euro a hundred kilograms, a total of 200.00
euro.
In June the harvest. A bushel of land produces a minimum of 100 to a
maximum of 150 quintals of potatoes. For our calculations we estimate
the average 125 quintals. If this year five cents have been offered for
a kilogram of potatoes it means that every quintal of potatoes has
rendered 5 euros to the cultivator.
Given the cost so far estimated to be over 600.00 euro, considering the
revenue obtained 625.00 euros for 125 quintals of potatoes, one
understands why the product may not even be collected. Indeed it would
take at least five workers at 40 euros each and a machine at 60.00 euros
per bushel harvested from land already being treated here. So before you
throw away another 260,00 euros it is preferable to sweep it all, land
and potatoes, cursing and hoping for the following year. Time and money
has been wasted this year. In the year of frying potatoes , the farmers
were in debt and frustrated.
Zi Sastiano who has seen so much despair in his long life, expects the
roulette to give him a winning possibility. "The prices of the seed this
year are not known yet. Soon we will know . We wait. Meanwhile I want to
thank my sons, Gaetano, Luigi and Francesco, each with several other
professions, who have assisted me with their help. But the land after us
who will cultivate her more?"
Some interesting results are read in a 2004 study, the initial term of a
three year experimental, made on a ground of Marigliano from the CRA
Council for Research and Experimentation in Agriculture in a project of
"Improvement of the quality of the production pataticola bell," In
charge italian Giordano of the Experimental institute for Industrial
cultures, ISCI of Battipaglia.
For the agronomic techniques recommended in this study, the indications
given onto the use of some productive factors:
1. Time of planting. It is advisable to anticipate the sowing of the new
potato in order to finally obtain a sufficiently mature product when the
market is not saturated so the demand for the product is disposed
towards a better price. The climate risks are minimized with an early
hilling and trenching.
2. Nitrogenous manuring. For soils with good quantities of nitrogen
there are sufficient non- superior doses of this manure to 100 kg / ha.
Excesses of this fertilizer procure the elongation cycle of aging and
deterioration of some quality of the product and merchandise. Moreover,
the amounts in excess not used by the plants go towards the ground water
giving into being permanently polluted.
3. Phosphorus-potassium fertilization. The land of our much-exploited
country is characterized by a high content of phosphorus and potassium
(100 ppm P2O5 comparable and even 983 ppm exchangeable K2O) is optimal
for this type of crops and their use could easily be avoided by reducing
costs production and environmental pollution, since the production
however, is not to be increased, either in quantity or in quality with
the help of these two macro-elements.
4. Fertilization calcium. Here again the effects were disappointing
because the calcium in the form of foliar fertilizer did not improve the
peel of tubers. 5.Irrigation.
Irrigation inputs should be limited, considering the sufficient rainfall
in spring. Too much water could lengthen the growing cycle of
deteriorating quality of some tubers.
Month of December 2008
Dr. Antonio Castaldo
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