Potato Market and Consumption

Abstract

Potato, or as it is called the “bread of the poor”, is a traditional product and the fourth world's largest consumption culture after rice, wheat, and maize. Potato contains vitamin B6 (32%), starch (26%), copper (22%), vitamin C (22%), magnesium (19%), phosphorus (17%), fiber (15%), pantothenic acid (13%), and other ingredients. Americans eat on average 35 kg of frozen potatoes per year: 19 kg of fresh potatoes; 8 kg of potato chips; and 6 kg of dehydrated potato products. The global monthly consumption of potato per capita is 31.3 kg. A greater consumption per capita is in Europe with 87.8 kg/capita. Residents of cold countries of Eastern Europe are the biggest consumers of potatoes in the world. China is the largest producer in the world (75mil / year), but it is not the largest consumer per capita. The volume of international potato trade is smaller than the volume of production. Only 6% of potato production reaches trade market worldwide. Trade in processed potatoes is increased, and with higher rates exceed fresh potato trade. It passes from fresh consumption to processed consumption. Developed countries are those which provide markets with these processed products, earning high rate of profits. Processed potatoes make up 64 percent of total US potato consuming. Kosovo has a great potential to produce potatoes, but there are some obstacles such as small domestic consumption and the market in general. In this article, the factors that affect consumption are explored, which as a consequence increase the production.