As with all plants there are numerous varieties of potato. They can be identified by their cropping season and intended purpose (cooking properties).
For the farmer the first thing that influences the choice of variety is the intended purpose – whether eating potatoes or industrial potatoes, or whether the customer has requested specific varieties. We give our contract farmers in Schwarmstedt exact specifications on which variety may be supplied with which properties – see >Schwarmstedter / Quality management. Many potatoes are sold directly from the farmyard and in this case the farmer is also influenced by his customers’ taste. The popularity of the varieties often depends on the regional cuisine. Thus in some regions either floury or yellow potatoes are preferred while other regions prefer waxy or white tubers.
Of course, the ingredients are important in processing but so too is the shape of the potato. For industrial peeling it is important that the tubers have grown smoothly. Potatoes for processing usually have a higher starch content than table potatoes. Which varieties are preferred in this case depends on the individual processing options. In Schwarmstedt we only use table potatoes, not processing potatoes.
