International Day of Potato Date in the current year: May 30, 2024

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a starchy root vegetable native to the Andean region. It was brought to Europe in the 16th century and eventually became one of the most important food crops in the world due to being high-yield and resilient. Today, the potato is cultivated in approximately 160 countries and is regularly consumed by billions of people. One of the reasons potatoes have become so widely consumed is that they can be prepared in many ways (boiled, baked, fried, steamed, grated and formed into dumplings and pancakes, added to soups and stews, used as a pie filling, etc.), and the huge variety of potato dishes is truly astonishing.

The potato is a highly versatile crop that is able to grow in a variety of conditions, including those where natural resources such as water and arable land are limited. There are approximately 5,000 potato varieties grown worldwide, showing a wide genetic variation with a range of useful traits such as different tuber characteristics to meet consumers’ preferences, resistance to diseases and pests, and the ability to adapt to various environments and growing conditions, including cold, drought, and barren land. In addition, potatoes are considered a climate-friendly crop because their levels of greenhouse emissions are lower compared to other crops.

It should be noted that the potato is more than a source of nourishment for about two thirds of the world’s population. Potatoes are used in the production of some alcoholic spirits, as livestock fodder, and in plant research. Potato starch is used as a binder and thickener in the food industry, as an adhesive in the textile industry, as a raw material in the paper industry, and as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic in the production of food containers, packaging fillers, etc.

May 30 was proclaimed as the International Day of Potato by the UN General Assembly in December 2023, joining the family of UN observances related to food and agriculture, such as World Pulses Day (February 10), World Tuna Day (May 2), World Bee Day (May 20), International Tea Day (May 21), World Food Safety Day (June 7), Sustainable Gastronomy Day (June 18), International Day for Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (September 29), World Food Day (October 16), and World Soil Day (December 5). Its inaugural celebration was hosted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The main goals of the International Day of Potato are to raise awareness of the enormous global significance of the crop and its important contribution to combating hunger and poverty, highlight the role of small-scale family farmers in different parts of the world in safeguarding the potato’s diversity, and celebrate the cultural and culinary dimensions of the cultivation and consumption of the crop.