Prospects and Challenges of Postharvest Losses of Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) in Ethiopia

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) ranked as the third most important food crop following rice and wheat and is consumed by over a billion people throughout the world [1,2]. Potato serves as a food and income security source and provides important nutrients. Potato has a high content of carbohydrates, significant amounts of quality protein, and substantial amounts of vitamins, especially vitamin C [3]. Potato production is expanding strongly in many developing countries accounting for more than half of the global harvest [4]. In Ethiopia, root and tuber crops are the third largest national food commodity, after maize and wheat, in terms of production [5,6]. Potato promises higher calorie per unit area production potential than any grain and can be produced, stored, and consumed without major technological inputs. Recent trends indicate that potato production in densely populated developing nations is *Corresponding author: FAbebe Chindi Degebasa, Department of Agricultural Research, Holetta Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia. ISSN: 2644-2981 DOI: 10.33552/GJNFS.2020.02.000550