Constraints to production and use of potato in Asia

To gain a better understanding of the relative importance of the problems facing expansion of potatoes in Asian countries, a questionnaire was sent to heads of National Potato Programs in which factors limiting the production and use of this crop were evaluated. This paper briefly describes the method employed to tabulate the survey results and then analyzes the findings themselves. Constraints that were consistently singled out include the high cost of seed potatoes, price instability, and viral diseases such as potato leaf roll. These results should serve to facilitate further refinement of regional research strategies for countries facing common problems.