Potatoes and Progress

The potato is a very healthy crop and is eaten throughout the world. Nations are encouraged by the European Union to replace their staple crops with the potato since they are relatively easy to grow and have high harvest rate. It would be so much better if everyone ate potatoes every day. Sadly, they don’t. One would wonder why.

The answer lies in the climate of the areas they are to be grown. Potatoes only thrive in cool climates and so the number of places it can be grown in is very limited. Many countries would be unable to grow them in their own soil. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem. This solution is what we call export.

A number of countries require export goods to meet the demand of this mighty spud. This promotes income in countries that can produce more potatoes than other countries. One would think that since the potato producing countries gain more money from the potato consumers, they would be more advanced and successful.  This is not so.

Japan, one of the most successful and advanced counties in the world, is actually the top export market in the world. So why aren’t the potato producing countries progressing more? Does the amount of potato consumed by the citizens affect progress? Or is this theory just a fantasy I have formed in my head? Your guess is as good as mine.