It’s Time To Celebrate Spuds!

May 30th 2025 will be the next International Day of Potato 

Last year the United National General Assembly declared May 30^th, 2024, as the first-ever International Day of Potato, signalling the importance of the third most consumed crop globally. Potatoes contribute to the food security and nutrition as well as livelihoods and employment of people in rural and urban areas the world over.

The theme of this year’s International Day of Potato was “Harvesting diversity, feeding hope” – a recognition of the crop’s significant genetic diversity and its yet unharnessed potential in the quest to achieve universal food security and nutrition.

In Australia, potatoes are a staple in most homes, being the second most purchased vegetable with 87% of households buying an average of 1.63 kilos per trip*.

In Western Australia, WA Potatoes are the organisation representing potato growers, providing advocacy, communications and event support, as well as a school education program and ongoing marketing to remind consumers of the health benefits and versatility of the humble spud.

“International Day of Potato is a huge recognition for a crop that delivers so much to so many people,” says Simon Moltoni, CEO of WA Potatoes.

WA Potatoes call the potato, “The Good Carb” because not only are they good to eat, they are also good for your body, the planet and your budget.

“Potatoes are not only healthy, being low in calories, high in fibre, vitamin C and potassium, they are also a budget-friendly option that everyone can enjoy, while using less inputs to grow than many other foods,” said Simon.

This year for International Day of Potato, WA Potatoes are planning to share plenty of facts and information about potatoes on their social and digital media channels. WA potato growers will also mark the day by celebrating together in Manjimup at an on-farm networking event.

“WA Potatoes have amassed a following of over 30,000 people on its social media channels and we intend to showcase all the amazing attributes of spuds for the International Day of Potato in 2024,” Simon said.

“This June we are also very fortunate to have Potatoes Australia hosting the World Potato Congress in Adelaide, where industry can come together and showcase their innovations, marketing and research in one big event,” Simon added.

Worldwide, potatoes are eaten by more than one billion people and are a vital food source. Potatoes have been cultivated for over 8,000 years and are grown in 159 countries with 5,000 known varieties. They are a key crop across diverse farming systems globally, ranging from smallholders producing diverse heirloom varieties by hand in the Andes to vast commercial, mechanised farms in different continents.

“The first International Day of Potato is just the beginning of what we hope will become a huge international celebration every year for one of the most-loved vegetables in the world,” Simon said.

*Hort Innovation’s “Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2022-23” http://www.horticulture.com.au/

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More details:

• International Day of Potato: https://www.fao.org/international-potato-day/en
• World Potato Congress: https://potatocongress.org

International Day of Potato will be on May 30th 2025