World trends and patterns in the potato crop: An economic and geographic survey

We examine the changing character of supply and demand for potatoes over ti me and space with an eye towards implications for agricultural research. Di versification in consumption and specialization in production are our organ izing themes. The foundation for comparative analysis is a map of the globa l distribution of potato growing area. We highlight the adverse impact of p rice risk on specialization and discuss several sources of uncertainty that condition the size but not the direction of major trends.