Which country first started growing potatoes?

In the life of a modern person, potatoes are a familiar root vegetable, dishes from which are present on the table of an ordinary person almost every day. Relatively recently, potatoes were considered a rarity, and food made from them was a delicacy. We are so used to it that we don’t even think about the country in which potatoes were first grown.

Origin story

For the first time, potatoes were discovered by Europeans (by a military expedition) at the beginning of the 15th century on the territory of modern Peru (South America). It was in this area about 15 thousand years ago that the Indians began the process of domestication of wild tubers. The find was called truffles because they looked very much like mushrooms. A little later, another traveler, Pedro Ciesa de Leon, discovered fleshy tubers in the Cauca River Valley (the territory of modern Ecuador). The Indians called them "papa". Pedro wrote about this in his book and called potatoes a special type of peanuts, which, after cooking, become soft and taste like a baked chestnut. Each harvest was accompanied by a religious holiday, the Indians honored and respected the potato, because it was the main food, and growing potatoes was the main occupation. The Indians saw something divine in everything, therefore potato tubers became an object of worship.

It should be noted that wild potatoes are still found in Peru today, but cultivated varieties are already very different from them. Despite the fact that it began to be cultivated 15 thousand years ago, it became a fully-fledged agricultural crop about 5 thousand years ago.

The emergence of potatoes in Europe

Europe got to know the potato in 1565. The first were the Spaniards. They didn't like it, probably because they tried to eat it raw. In the same year, the tubers were brought to Italy and nicknamed him "tartufolli", for the same resemblance to truffles. The Germans changed the name to "tartato", and then its familiar name appeared - potatoes. A few years later, the tubers get to Belgium, a little later to France. In Germany, the potato did not take root immediately, it became especially in demand in 1758-1763, when the country was seized by famine caused by the war. People ate it and had no idea in which country they first began to grow potatoes.

Appearance in Russia

In our country, the appearance of potatoes is associated with the reformer Tsar Peter I. His weakness was Europe, he dragged into the country everything European - customs, clothing, food. He also brought potatoes. There is an opinion that Peter sent the first sack of potatoes from Holland to Russia and ordered Count Sheremetyev to distribute it. Allegedly, the history of potatoes in our country began with this bag. At first, the Russians did not accept the new vegetable and were not interested in which country they first began to grow potatoes in. But the tsar threatened the peasants with the death penalty - so everyone began to grow it.

The merits of the root crop would have been forgotten if not for the hungry war years. It gradually took root in the diet of the Russian people; by the middle of the 18th century, the peasants already called it "the second bread" and grew it on a voluntary basis. Root crops quickly adapted to the climate. Later, even the poorest people had potatoes on the table. Most Russian scientists wondered in which country they first began to grow potatoes, but expeditions at the beginning of the 20th century proved that his homeland was South America. At the time of the discovery of the central and northern parts of America, they did not know anything about potatoes.

Potato dishes

In Peru, where they first began to grow potatoes, they prepare a traditional dish from it - chuno. Simply put, these are canned potatoes. This country has a hot climate, so residents need to preserve their crops for future use. Chunyo is stored for several years and nothing happens to it. The recipe for its preparation is extremely simple: the potatoes are first laid out on straw and left overnight. Then the frozen tubers are crushed to remove excess moisture and dried in the sun.

In Russia, a huge number of dishes are prepared from potatoes, the most common of which is mashed potatoes. Potatoes are also baked, fried, boiled, steamed and baked with whole tubers on charcoal. In addition, it is used to prepare filling for baking, add to salads, prepare all kinds of side dishes. Sometimes, when asked in which country potatoes were grown, one would like to answer: "In Russia!"

The first image of a potato in Europe (

Clusius

, 1588)

The homeland of the potato is South America, where you can still find wild species of this plant. The introduction of potatoes into cultivation (first through the exploitation of wild thickets) began about 9-7 thousand years ago in the territory of modern Bolivia. The Indians not only consumed potatoes for food, but also worshiped it, considering it an animated creature.

In Europe, the potato appeared in the second half of the 16th century and was first mistaken for an ornamental plant, moreover, a poisonous one. The French agronomist Antoine-Auguste Parmentier (1737-1813) finally proved that potatoes have high taste and nutritional qualities. With his submission, the penetration of potatoes began in the provinces of France, and then in other countries. Even during the life of Parmentier, this made it possible to defeat the previously frequent famine in France and remove scurvy. Several dishes are named after Parmentier, the main ingredient of which is potatoes.

Early written evidence

The first sporadic records of potatoes (yoma in the Chibcha-Muisca language) are found in Spanish documents describing the conquest of the New Kingdom of Granada (the territories of Colombia and Venezuela): by Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada (1539, edited by an anonymous author in 1548-1549; 1550), Juan de Castellanos (1540), Pascual de Andagoya (1540) by Fernandez de Oviedo (1545). Jimenez de Quesada in his report “Summary of the conquest of the New Kingdom of Granada”, Speaking about the inhabitants of the territory he conquered, reported on the most important plants they use for food:

The food of these people is the same as in other parts of the Indies, because their main food is

maize

and

yuka

... In addition, they have 2 or 3 varieties of plants from which they derive great benefit for their food, of which there are some similar to truffles, called

ionas

, others look like a turnip called

cubias that they throw into their concoction, it serves as an important product for them.

- Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada. "A summary of the conquest of the New Kingdom of Granada."

In the manuscript of the anonymous Chibcha vocabulary and grammar (around the beginning of the 17th century) different types of potatoes are given:

• “Truffle of animals. - Niomy ";
• “Truffle, root. - Iomza iemuy ";
• “Yellow Truffle. - Tybaiomy ";
• “Wide truffle. - Gazaiomy ";
• Long Truffle. - Quyiomy ";

Conquistador Pascual de Andagoya in 1540 indicated in his “Report of the deeds of Pedrarias Davila in the provinces of Tierra Firme or Golden Castile"That" this valley and area of ​​Popayan is very beautiful and fertile. The food is maize and some roots called papaschestnut-like roots, and other roots like turnips, besides the many fruits. "

Thanks to the historian and conquistador Pedro Cieza de Leon, Europe learned in detail about such a culture as potatoes from his work "Chronicle of Peru", published in 1553 in the city of Seville, where he also reports that he met potatoes in Quito (Ecuador), Popayan and Pasto (Colombia).He, relying both on his own observations and on the information of the predecessor conquistadors, collected thanks to his position in the apparatus of Viceroy Pedro de La Gaschi, gave his first description, the correct method of preparation and storage:

“Of the local products, with the exception of maize, there are two more, which are considered by the Indians to be the main food products. One they call Papas like truffles, after boiling they become as soft on the inside as boiled chestnuts; it has neither a shell nor a bone, only what truffles have, because it is formed underground, like them. This fruit is produced by grass, just like a field poppy "," ... and they dry it in the sun, and store it from one harvest to another. After drying, they call these potatoes „chuño“And it is very much appreciated by them and is worth a lot, because they do not have irrigation canals, as in many other places in this kingdom, to water their fields, they do not even have enough natural water for crops, they feel need and deprivation if they do not have of this dried potato. "

Potatoes were first brought to Europe (Spain), probably by the same Cieza de Leon in 1551, upon his return from Peru. The first evidence of the use of potatoes in food also relates to Spain: in 1573 it is listed among the products purchased for the Hospital of the Blood of Jesus in Seville. Later the culture spread to Italy, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Great Britain and other European countries.

Peru

It is argued that the Inca calendar used the following way of determining the daytime: the measure was the time it took to boil potatoes - which was approximately equal to one hour. That is, in Peru they said: so much time has passed as it would have taken to prepare a dish from potatoes.

A description of the traditional way of cooking potatoes by the Peruvians is contained in a letter from the French explorer Joseph Dombay dated May 20, 1779. Potatoes, along with corn, were a unique product of the Peruvians, who took them with them on long trips. They cooked potatoes in water, peeled and dried in the sun. The resulting product is used.papa seca mixed with other products. There was another cooking method. The tubers were frozen and trampled (?) With their feet to peel them. The mixture thus prepared was placed in a stream of water under a press. Fifteen to twenty days later, the resulting product was dried in the sun. The product thus obtained was called isp.chuño and "was pure starch that they could use to make powder (for the hair)." isp.chuño it was used to make jams, flour for the sick, and additives to other dishes.

• Chuño

• Tunta, or chuño

• Autre tunta

Freezing followed by dehydration is nothing more than freeze-drying by natural means. This means that you need to add water to consume. Chugno was part of the diet of the Indians working in the silver mines.

Chugno is produced in the Altiplano, namely in Souni and Puna (region in the Cordillera), where there are specific ecological and climatic conditions. Chugno is eaten in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. According to Redcliffe Salaman, chunyo was ground into flour and added to stews and various soups.

Another traditional method of cooking potatoes is to hold the tubers for 6 months in a stream of water. The product obtained as a result of fermentation, isp.chuño podrido used to make Mazamorra dessert.

Bishopric of Liege

In all likelihood, the first cookbook containing recipes for potato dishes belongs to the pen of Lancelot de Casteau (fr.) Russian, the chef of three (successive) princes-bishops of Liege. A book published in 1604 under the title Ouverture de cuisine contains four recipes for cooking a dish that was then exotic for Europeans.

Ouverture de cuisine facsimile spread

Boiled potatoes. Take a thoroughly washed potato and boil it in water; when ready, it needs to be peeled, chopped, greased with butter and pepper. Original text (fr.) Tartoufle boullye. Prennez tartoufle bien lauee, & la mettez boullir dedans eau, eſtant cuite il la faut peler & coupper par tranches, beurre fondu par deſſus, & poiure.

Alternatively: Cut the potato into slices as shown above, sauté with Spanish wine, butter and nutmeg. Original text (fr.) Tartoufle autrement. Conppez la tartoufle par tranches comme deſſus, & la mettez eſteuuer avec vin d'Eſpagne & nouueau beure, & noix muſcade.

Take potato slices, simmer with butter, chopped marjoram and parsley; whisk four or five egg yolks with a little wine at the same time, pour into boiling potatoes, remove from heat and serve. Original text (fr.) Autrement. Prennez la tartoufle par tranches, & mettez eſteuuer auec beurre, mariolaine haſchee, du persin: puis prennez quatre ou cinq iaulnes d'œuf battus auec vn peu de vin, & iettez le deſſus tout enill bouãue, fe & tire ainsi.

Otherwise: Fry the potatoes like chestnuts in ash, peel and cut into slices. Sprinkle with chopped mint, pour over boiled raisins, vinegar and pepper. Original text (fr.) Autrement. Mettez roſtir la tartoufle dedans le cendres chaudes comme on cuit les caſtaignes, puis la faut peler & coupper par trãches, mettez ſus mente haſchee, des carentines boullies par deſſus, & vinaigre, vn peu de poiure, & ſeruez ain

The lack of salt in the filling is explained by the fact that at that time there was enough salt in the oil.

De Casto did not leave any comments regarding the origin, the price of potatoes, and its availability on the market. However, he has been using potatoes since at least December 12, 1558, as "boiled potatoes" appear on the menu (3 courses) of the banquet given in honor of Archbishop Robert's joyeuse entrée.

Illustration from the herbarium of J. Gerard (1633)

Ireland

In Ireland, the potato appeared at the end of the 16th century. It quickly gained popularity, and by the end of the 18th century it had firmly established itself as a staple in the diet of Irish peasants.

In peasant houses, potatoes have always been part of the dinner in one form, the easiest to prepare, boiled in water. The tubers were boiled together with the peel in a cauldron. The contents of the cauldron were poured into a wicker basket (eng. Skeehogue), allowing water to pass through, and family members, sitting around the basket and in front of the fireplace, ate directly from the basket with their hands.

The potato crop failure, provoked by the influence of the pathogenic microorganism Phytophthora infestans, which causes late blight, became one of the reasons for the mass famine that struck Ireland in the middle of the 19th century. This, in turn, gave rise to a massive emigration of the Irish to the New World, and above all to the United States of America.

France

Since its appearance in Europe, potatoes have gained popularity in the bishopric of Liege, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy. In France, due to the similarity with the known poisonous representatives of the Solanaceae family, as well as the lack of storage and use technologies, the introduction was slowed down. In addition, there were problems of a purely agronomic (unsuitable environmental conditions) and religious (non-recognition of tithes).

Olivier de Serre, in his 1600 book Théâtre d'agriculture et Mesnage des champs, recommended the cultivation of potatoes and compared its taste ("white truffle") with the best examples of black truffles.

By 1750, many people and organizations began to recommend the cultivation and consumption of potatoes: Duhamel du Monceau, Bishops of Albi and Leon, Minister Turgot, Rosa Bertin, Rennes Agricultural Society. Even ten years before the publications of Antoine Parmentier and Samuel Angel, Duhamel du Monceau urged farmers not to ignore potatoes and noted that "... is an excellent product, especially with bacon or corned beef."

But the broad masses were skeptical about potatoes. Most of the French treated it with disdain, although in some areas it was grown and consumed. Potatoes were an alternative to wheat, a staple food shortage of which for centuries led to hunger and panic at the dawn of the French Revolution.

Parmentier was especially active in promoting the cultivation of potatoes as a vegetable crop. His treatise Examen chymique des pommes de terres (1774) proved the high nutritional value of potatoes. The government and the royal family itself took up the introduction of a new culture. It is said that Queen Marie Antoinette loved to curl potato flowers into her hair.

Russia

The Free Economic Society associated the appearance of potatoes in Russia with the name of Peter I, who at the end of the 17th century sent a bag of tubers from Holland to the capital, allegedly for distribution to the provinces for cultivation. The outlandish vegetable did not become widespread in Russia in the first half of the 18th century, although the "Historical note on the introduction of potato culture in Russia" reads:

The foreign innovation was adopted by individuals, mainly foreigners and some representatives of the upper classes ... Even in the reign of the Empress

Anna Ivanovna

at the prince's table

Biron

potatoes have already appeared as a tasty, but not at all rare tasty dish.

At first, potatoes were considered an exotic plant and were served only in aristocratic houses. In 1758, the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences published an article "On the cultivation of earth apples" - the first scientific article in Russia on the cultivation of potatoes. A little later, articles on potatoes were published by Ya. E. Sivers (1767) and A. T. Bolotov (1770).

State measures for the distribution of potatoes were taken under Catherine II: in 1765, the Senate Instruction "on the cultivation of earthen apples" was issued. The manual contained detailed recommendations for breeding and using a new crop and, together with potato seeds, was sent to all provinces. This happened in line with the general European tendency: "Potatoes began to be cultivated on an extensive scale since 1684 in Lancashire, since 1717 in Saxony, since 1728 in Scotland, since 1738 in Prussia, since 1783 in France." Compared to rye and wheat, potatoes were considered an unpretentious crop, so they were considered a good help in poor harvests and in non-grain-bearing areas.

In the "Economic description of the Perm province" of 1813, it is noted that peasants grow and sell "superbly large white potatoes" in Perm, but they are skeptical about the increase in sowing: "They are always ready to answer that they do not have enough time to sow the necessary bread, since potatoes, which must be planted with your hands. The peasants eat potatoes “baked, boiled, in porridge, and they also use flour to make their own pies and shangi (a kind of pastry) from it; and in cities they spice them up soups, cook them with roast and make flour from it for making jelly. "

Due to the many poisonings caused by the consumption of fruits and young tubers containing solanine, the peasant population at first did not accept the new culture. Only gradually did he gain recognition, displacing turnips from the peasant ration. Nevertheless, as early as the 19th century, many peasants called potatoes "the devil's apple" and considered it a sin to eat them.

State measures were taken in the future. So, in Krasnoyarsk, they began to grow potatoes since 1835. Each family was obliged to grow potatoes. For failure to comply with this order, the perpetrators were supposed to be exiled to Belarus, to the construction of the Bobruisk fortress. Every year, the governor sent all the information about growing potatoes to St. Petersburg.

In 1840-42. on the initiative of Count Pavel Kiselev, the area allocated for potatoes began to increase rapidly. According to the decree of February 24, 1841 "On measures to spread the cultivation of potatoes," the governors had to regularly report to the government on the rate of increase in the sowing of the new crop. In a circulation of 30,000 copies, free instructions on the correct planting and growing of potatoes were sent out all over Russia.

As a result, a wave of "potato riots" swept across Russia. The people's fear of innovations was also shared by some enlightened Slavophiles. For example, Princess Avdotya Golitsyna "defended her protest with perseverance and passion, which was quite amused in society." She stated that potatoes "are an encroachment on the Russian nationality, that potatoes will ruin both the stomachs and the pious manners of our time immemorial and God-protected bread and cash-eaters."

Nevertheless, the "potato revolution" of the times of Nicholas I was crowned with success. By the end of the 19th century, more than 1.5 million hectares were occupied by potatoes in Russia.By the beginning of the 20th century, this vegetable was already considered in Russia "the second bread", that is, one of the main food products.

Notes (edit)

1. ↑ Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation
2. ↑ A more accurate name in the Chibcha language is "Yoma" or "Yomui"
3. ↑ Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada. A summary of the conquest of the New Kingdom of Granada "(1539; 1548-1549) .. (A. Skromnitsky) (April 20, 2010). Retrieved April 20, 2010. Archived August 21, 2011.
4. ↑ González de Pérez, María Stella. Diccionario y gramática chibcha. Imprenta patriótica del Instituto Caro y Cuervo. Bogotá. 1987, p. 331
5. ↑ Pascual de Andagoya. Narrative of the proceedings of Pedrarias Dávila in the provinces of Tierra Firme or Catilla del Oro: and of the discovery of the South Sea and the coasts of Peru and Nicaragua. - London: Hakluyt Society, 1865. - p. 58.
6. ↑ Cieza de Leon, Pedro. Chronicle of Peru. Part one. Chapter XL. - Kiev, 2008 (translated by A. Skromnitsky). Archived July 9, 2012.
7. ↑ In the dictionary of Diego Gonzalez Holguin (1608): Chhuñu... Stayed / dried potatoes, frozen in the sun.
8. ↑ Cieza de Leon, Pedro. Chronicle of Peru. Part one. Chapter XCIX. - Kiev, 2008 (translated by A. Skromnitsky). Archived July 9, 2012.
9. ↑ Montanari Massimo. Hunger and abundance. M., 2009. p. 129
10. ↑ Bernabe Kobo, A Story of the New World (Volume 3, Book 12, Chapter XXXVII). Archived July 11, 2012.
11. ↑ "Proceedings of the Free Economic Society", 1852
12. ↑ Berdyshev A.P. Andrei Timofeevich Bolotov: The first Russian scientist agronomist. - Gosselkhozizdat. - M., 1949 .-- 184 p. - 25,000 copies.
13. ↑ № 12406. - May 31. Instruction - on the cultivation of earthen apples, called potetes (potatoes) // Poln. collection laws Ros. Empire. Sobr. 1st. SPb., 1830. T. 17. S. 141-148.
14. ↑ Potatoes // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb., 1890-1907.
15. ↑ Economic description of the Perm province: at 3 o'clock, Part 2. St. Petersburg, 1813, p. 162.
16. ↑ From the history of potatoes in the world and in Russia (Russian). Retrieved March 20, 2011. Archived July 2, 2012.
17. ↑ Guide to botany / comp. V.V. Grigoriev. 4th ed. - M .: publication of the Salaev brothers, 1865 .-- P. 232.
18. ↑ s: Old notebook 181-190 (Vyazemsky)

History

Where on the planet did potatoes first start to grow? Native potato from South America, where you can still find his wild-growing ancestor. Scientists believe that the ancient Indians began to domesticate this plant about 14 thousand years ago. It came to Europe in the middle of the 16th century, brought by the Spanish conquistadors. At first, its flowers were grown for decorative purposes, and the tubers were used to feed livestock. Only in the 18th century they began to be used for food.

The appearance of potatoes in Russia is associated with the name of Peter I, at that time it was an exquisite court delicacy, and not a mass product.

Potatoes became widespread later, in the second half of the 19th century.... This was preceded by "potato riots" caused by the fact that the peasants, forced to plant potatoes by order of the tsar, did not know how to eat them and ate poisonous fruits rather than useful tubers.

We also recommend watching a video about the history of potatoes:

Flag photo

And this is how the flag of the country in which potatoes began to be cultivated looks like.

Conditions and places of cultivation

Now potatoes can be found on all continents where there is soil.... Areas of temperate, tropical and subtropical climates are considered the most suitable for growth and high yields. This culture prefers cool weather, the optimum temperature for the formation and development of tubers is 18-20 ° C. Therefore, in the tropics, potatoes are planted in the winter months, and in the middle latitudes in early spring.

In some subtropical regions, the climate allows potatoes to be grown all year round, with a dew cycle of only 90 days. In the cooler conditions of Northern Europe, harvesting usually takes place 150 days after planting.

In the 20th century, European countries were the world leader in potato production... Since the second half of the last century, potato growing began to spread in the countries of Southeast Asia, India, and China. In the 1960s, India and China jointly produced no more than 16 million tons of potatoes, and in the early 1990s, China came out on top, which continues to this day. In total, more than 80% of the total world harvest is harvested in the countries of Europe and Asia, with a third of it coming from China and India.

Productivity in different states

An important factor for agriculture is crop yield. In Russia, this figure is one of the lowest in the world, with a planting area of ​​about 2 million hectares, the total harvest is only 31.5 million tons. In India, 46.4 million tons are harvested from the same area.

The reason for such a low yield is the fact that more than 80% of potatoes in Russia are grown by so-called unorganized smallholders. Low level of technical equipment, rare protective measures, lack of high-quality planting material - all this affects the results.

High yields are traditionally distinguished by European countries, the USA, Australia, Japan.... This is primarily due to the high level of technical support and the quality of the planting material. The world record for yields belongs to New Zealand, where it manages to harvest an average of 50 tons per hectare.

Growth and Production Leaders

Here is a table with the designation of countries that grow root crops in large quantities.

Country	Quantity, million tons	Planting area, million hectares	Productivity, tons / ha
China	96	5,6	17,1
India	46,4	2	23,2
Russia	31,5	2,1	15
Ukraine	23,7	1,3	18,2
USA	20	0,42	47,6
Germany	11,6	0,24	48
Bangladesh	9	0,46	19,5
France	8,1	0,17	46,6
Poland	7,7	0,28	27,5
Holland	7,1	0,16	44,8

Export

In international trade, the world leader is Holland, which accounts for 18% of all exports. About 70% of Dutch exports are raw potatoes and products made from them.

In addition, the country is the largest supplier of certified seed potatoes. Of the three largest manufacturers, only China was in the top 10 exporters, which ranks 5th (6.1%). Russia and India practically do not export manufactured products.

Country	Exports, million $ (% of world exports of raw potatoes), 2016
Holland	669,9 (18%)
France	603,4 (16,2%)
Germany	349,2 (9,4%)
Canada	228,1 (6,1%)
China	227,2 (6,1%)
Belgium	210,2 (5,7%)
USA	203,6 (5,5%)
Egypt	162 (4,4%)
Great Britain	150,9 (4,1%)
Spain	136,2 (3,7%)

Usage

According to international organizations, approximately 2/3 of all potatoes produced in one form or another are consumed by people, the rest is used for livestock feed, for various technical needs and for seeds. In the area of ​​global consumption, there is now a shift from eating fresh potatoes to processed foods such as french fries, chips, and mashed potato flakes.

In developed countries, consumption of potatoes is gradually decreasing, while in developing countries it is steadily increasing.... Inexpensive and unpretentious, this vegetable allows you to get good harvests from small areas and provide the population with useful food. Therefore, potatoes are increasingly planted in areas with limited land resources and surplus, year by year expanding the geography of this crop and increasing its role in the world agriculture.

In chapter Food, Cooking to the question in which country did they first use potatoes? given by the author Irina Petrotsi the best answer is Now it is difficult to imagine a world without potatoes, today root crops are grown in 130 countries of the world.
The history of the emergence of the potato did not go so smoothly. Until now, there is no consensus among scientists on this score. Some believe that the potato was brought from Peru, others claim that it traces its ancestry from Chile, where its growing conditions are close to those of many Western European countries with a moderately warm climate. However, there is no doubt that the homeland of the potato is South America, where it has been known since time immemorial. Primitive tribes, driven by hunger, looked here in the ground for edible plant roots, among which they found tubers of wild potatoes.
There is no doubt that the first to discover potatoes for Europe were the Spaniards, who discovered in South America "mealy roots of good taste." They were looking for gold - they found potatoes, thereby making a great botanical discovery.Even all the gold in America looks more than modest in comparison with the benefits that this universal plant has given to humanity. However, as for the history of the spread of potatoes in European countries, there is still a lot of unknown here.
In India, potatoes are recognized as the king of vegetables due to their yield, endurance, nutritional value. Potato growing in Russia has 2 stages: the introduction of potatoes into cultivation and the beginning of its mass cultivation (until the 1840s) and the transition of potatoes from a garden crop to a field crop, the formation of potato growing as a branch of agriculture (1850s - early 20th century). There is no exact information about the appearance of potatoes in Russia, but it is associated with the Peter's era. At the end of the 17th century, Peter I, while in the Netherlands on ship business, became interested in this plant and "for brood" sent a bag of tubers from Rotterdam to Count Sheremetyev. To speed up the spread of the potato, the Senate considered the introduction of the potato 23 times only in 1755-66.
Now potatoes are grown with success, and are very widely used in various fields.
The history of the emergence of the potato did not go so smoothly. Until now, there is no consensus among scientists on this score. Some believe that the potato was imported from Peru, others claim that it traces its ancestry from Chile, where its growing conditions are close to those of many Western European countries with a moderately warm climate. However, there is no doubt that the homeland of the potato is South America, where it has been known since time immemorial. Primitive tribes, driven by hunger, looked here in the ground for edible plant roots, among which they found tubers of wild potatoes.

Answer from

2 answers

Hey! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: in which country did they first eat potatoes?

Answer from Yovetlana Podberezkina
in America

Answer from * Queen *
in America, even May as much.

Answer from EP
The Indians of South America began to eat potatoes about 12-14 thousand years ago. In those days, potato tubers were small, bitter and unsuitable for eating. It took lengthy processing, sometimes taking months, to make something edible.
Numerous researchers believe that the first person to bring potatoes to Europe was the monk Neronim Kordan. Well, maybe it was he who in 1580 lowered the first basket with an unknown vegetable on the land of Spain, which was to conquer more nations than any general. But, perhaps, time will give us a new version ...
The name of the European who first described the potato is known for sure. This is the Spaniard Pedro Cheza de Leon. He studied Peru quite thoroughly for his time and published a book in Seville, which he called the Chronicle of Peru. It was from this book that Europeans first learned about potatoes. Pope (as the potatoes were called in Peru.) - wrote Cheza de Leon, - this is a special type of peanuts. When cooked, they become soft like a baked chestnut .... They are covered with a skin, no thicker than the skin of a truffle. The author also told about the solemn holiday that the Indians organized on the occasion of the potato harvest.

Answer from Ўlia
Are you really so interested in this ???? :)

Answer from Pavel Yuriev
In Colombia.

Answer from Vladimir Gubachev
I think the Indians, but the Spaniards brought it to Europe

Answer from Dmitry Orzhekhovsky
South America.. . and I think long before a person learned to write and read ...

Answer from Natalia Ivakhnik
isn't it in Peru? ...

Answer from Inna Vladimirovna
In India, that is, the Indians of South America

Answer from

2 answers

Hey! Here are some more topics with the answers you need:

>