From a favorite snack, the potato chip, to a side that can go with breakfast, lunch or dinner, the potato is one tasty veggie no matter how you fix it. Contrary to popular myth, potatoes are nutrient-rich with one medium potato containing 45% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C among other nutrients. Here are a few more facts about Florida potatoes.
- Florida growers plant and harvest between 20,000 to 30,000 acres of potatoes each year.
- In 2020, Florida harvested 5.3 million cwt (hundredweight) of potatoes, equal to almost 600 million pounds.
- Hastings is known as the Potato Capital of Florida, as it’s the packing and shipping center for a tri-county potato growing area that includes Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties.
- The potato chip was invented in 1853 and has been the No. 1 snack food for more than 50 years.
- Potatoes contain vitamin C, potassium, B6, fiber and numerous other vitamins and minerals.
Learn about two Florida potato operations in our stories Deeply Rooted in Florida Ag, Singleton & Sons Farms Continues to Prosper and Black Gold Farms Provides Spuds for a Favorite Salty Snack.
Sources: Potatoes USA, St. Johns Cultural Council, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Farm Flavor
Advertisement
