Wuding Potatoes

Wuding Potatoes

　　Wuding Potatoes

　　Potatoes are perennial herbaceous plants, but are cultivated as annuals or biennials. The underground tubers are round, oval, or egg-shaped, with eyes, and their skins can be red, yellow, white, or purple. The above-ground stems are angular and hairy. They have odd-pinnate compound leaves. Terminal inflorescences bear white, red, or purple flowers. The berries are spherical and green or purplish-brown. The seeds are kidney-shaped and yellow. They are mostly propagated by tubers and can also be used medicinally.

　　The Chadian Township of Ding County is a cold mountainous area where crops have long growth cycles and low yields. Some villages lack paddy fields and only have dry land, which is suitable for growing potatoes. In recent years, Chadian Township has actively encouraged farmers to plant new high-yield, high-quality virus-free potato varieties. This year, the township has planted over 10,000 mu of potatoes, with yields reaching more than 3,000 jin per mu. Due to strong market demand, potato prices have continued to rise, selling for 1.5 to 2 yuan per kilogram. It is estimated that the net income per mu of potatoes will exceed 4,000 yuan.

　　Now, potato farming has become a major feature of Chadian Township and a new way for farmers to increase their income. Zhu Xinglu, director of the Kangzhao Village Committee, told reporters that the average household in the village plants more than 5 mu of potatoes, with the largest households planting over 20 mu each, and the estimated output value can reach over 90,000 yuan.