Potatoes benefit the environment, as their production is more sustainable than that of pasta and rice, recent research has revealed.
Researchers from Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, England considered both greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption when growing the three food types, with potatoes proving to have the least negative impact on the environment.
“Potatoes were shown to have the lowest levels of greenhouse gas emissions when compared to both pasta and rice. Potatoes were also shown to have significantly lower levels of overall water usage than rice,” said AUSVEG spokesperson Shaun Lindhe.
The industry peak body said the findings are significant because results indicate that dietary trends can have a significant impact on an individual’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.
Despite the encouraging findings, the researchers believed that there was still scope for growers to improve the environmental sustainability of their potato growing operations through new technologies that increase efficiency and productivity.
“While potatoes were found to have the least negative impact on the environment when compared to pasta and rice, growers can still work to improve the environmental sustainability of their growing operations through good fertiliser management and efficient use of machinery,” said Lindhe.
