Potatoes in Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a small central American country with a population of 6 million.  They grow potatoes in the highlands.  The area where they grow potatoes is the same area where the best coffee is grown so the two crops are competing for land.  The market potatoes in Nicaragua largely used to come from Guatemala, but after the problems in Guatemala with brown rot (ralstonia sp.) the border was closed creating a high price option of potato production in the country.  Potatoes are grown on mountain tops or steep hillsides.  It has a wet and dry season.  There is some irrigation mainly from hoses plumbed to water sources.

Nicaraguan countryside

Potato cultivation is a bit basic in Nicaragua with most work done by hand.  Potato harvest is done by hand.  The potatoes are dug out of the gound using small hooked sticks and then bagged by hand and carted out to the road on muleback.  On flater ground a oxen is used to dig the potatoes.  The potatoes are then carted to town in small trucks.

Digging the potatoes by hand or oxen

Carrying the potatoes out to the road on muleback

Carting them off to town where they may get an additional sorting

The US potato board has been conducting variety trials to introduce and prove the effectiveness of US varieties in Nicaragua.  Many have done well including Calwhite, Marcy, Keuka Gold and others.  Nicaragua may be a small market for US seed, but it is close and a steady market.

Field of Calwhites

Digging up some Keuka Golds

Nicaraguan farmer with some Calwhites grown from cut seed.  Cutting seed works well here if the seed is stored for at least three days after cutting before its planted to allow the wounds to heal.  Cutting seed locally allows the farmer to buy bigger cheaper seed.