Amid a summer of crop failures, a spud-tacular potato harvest in Japan showed that banner years are still in the almanac even as climate uncertainty continues to make farming more challenging.
A potato industry outlet reports that the ideal mixture of temperatures and rainfall means that Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido is virtually the only region across the Northern Hemisphere that’s increased its production.
Major potato product manufacturer Calbee estimates it will reach its previously usual quotas of 250,000 tons of Hokkaido potatoes, a figure that can help the mind comprehend the scope of this potato typhoon.
Across the world, rising summer temperatures and extended droughts have battered traditional agricultural powerhouses like southern France and northern Italy.
As recently as last autumn, Japan Times reports that high temperatures and inconsistent rain caused a sharp decline in harvest volume and potato quality.
Yet this year, the island’s capital of Sapporo experienced only 4 days above 86°F, compared to 16 such days last year. Faster and more significant cooling over autumn meant the beloved tubers formed denser, more spherical shapes, while also making the ground firmer for machinery to drive over.
These cooler temperatures also help improve the potatoes’ storage and shelf life.
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Furthermore, Hokkaido didn’t experience any deluges that can lead to outbreaks of pests or diseases and render fields impassable for tractors and the like.
The combination of all these factors meant that for the region which produces 80% of all Japan’s potatoes, it was the best year in a decade, and reminiscent of the recent “potato flood” in Germany, where millions of these vegetables had to be simply given away to whoever wanted them.
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