Chinese Potatoes

The head of our network, Kelly Allen, put me on to a story in the Wall Street Journal about how the Chinese have gone crazy over potatoes… To the extent that a lady on Chinese television has commissioned several songs including one called “potato potato potato” and “our potato, little round potato”. With this exciting news I just had to call Frank Muir, President and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission and asked about all the excitement over potatoes in China. “You know the Chinese have come a long way with regard to potatoes. Most people wouldn’t know this but China is the number one grower and consumer of potatoes in the world. The US is number four with India and Russia in between. The Chinese are still consuming more rice than potatoes. Everything that I have learned from what they are doing is that the Chinese government, from their own studies have confirmed that they will use less natural resources for potatoes and provide better nutrition for their people if they consume more potatoes and less rice. So it is a major paradigm change in that country but in a very positive direction we think. One of their songs is the small round potato and we would like it to be the long brown russet Idaho potatoes too. Why don’t you commission someone to write a song? You want me to take a crack at it? David I would welcome your singing any time. (Laughter).