ISHS Acta Horticulturae 380: Symposium on Tropical Root Crops in a Developping Economy
ROOT AND TUBER CROPS IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION: CONSTRAINTS TO PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION |
| Author: | S.P. Ghosh |
| Abstract:
The countries of Asia-Pacific region account for about 40% of world's total annual production of roots and tubers. Roots and tubers are a major staple in the Pacific islands, the Asian countries also use them as animal feed, and in starch-based industries. During 1983–85, the contribution of roots and tubers to total dietary energy intake ranged from 0.4% in Pakistan to 40% in Tonga. Patterns of consumption of different roots and tubers in Asia indicate positive growth rate in potato (4.2%) and cassava (1.3%) and negative growth rates in sweet potato (-3.9%), aroids (-0.1%) and yams (-0.9%). In the Oceanic subregion, growth rates in per capita consumptions are negative for all the root and tuber crops, ranging from -0.1% to -0.3%. Increasing demands of cassava and sweet potato in nonfood and organized market sectors are closely linked with increased production. In the case of potato however, higher per capita consumption as direct food use has greatly influenced higher production. In the Pacific islands, both biophysical (diseases, insect pests, low-yielding cultivars, poor crop husbandry) and socioeconomical (scarce land, shortage of labor, shift in food habit linked with urbanization) constraints are adversely affecting production of root and tuber crops. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
