Lag BaOmer is the holiday of potatoes in Israel, which become the main dish of the various bonfires every year.
In preparation for Lag BaOmer, the Ministry of Agriculture is publishing a series of data on potatoes in the State of Israel - and in comparison to what is happening around the world.
Global potato production currently stands at approximately 380 million tons per year.
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At the top of the table is China, considered the leader in the industry, producing about 95 million tons. In contrast, the State of Israel produces only about 522 thousand tons of potatoes per year.
About 242 thousand tons of local produce are for Israeli consumption, about 54 thousand tons as raw material for industry, about 23 thousand tons are used as potato seeds for the next crop, and about 204 thousand tons are for export, which constitutes about 42% of the total export quantities of vegetables from Israel.
Where are we in relation to the rest of the world?
While in the European Union countries, total consumption per capita per year is estimated at an average of about 70 kg, the average Israeli consumes about 40 kg of potatoes per year.
In some European countries, such as Poland, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Belgium, per capita consumption even reaches about 100 kg per year.
In a rough division, most potatoes sold in retail chains are divided into two types: white and red potatoes. However, Ministry of Agriculture experts have divided the industry into 10 varieties that are most common in retail chains.
5 of these varieties have red skin: Desire, Canberra, Rodeo, Mozart and Rosanna; and 5 others have white skin: Cifra, Mondial, Winston, Valor, and Vivaldi.
In Israel, many consumers prefer red potatoes, whose average price is estimated at about 4 shekels per kilogram, depending on the color of the potato and its variety.
Alongside the varieties mentioned, there are gourmet varieties that are usually smaller and especially tasty.
These varieties are currently sold in Israel in only small quantities and are mainly marketed in export markets.
