Ecuador: INIAP is preparing new potato varieties with industrial potential for 2026

The potato is one of the most important agricultural products of the Ecuadorian highlands. It is grown primarily in Andean regions between 2,800 and 3,500 meters above sea level and is a staple food for thousands of rural families. In addition to its importance for domestic consumption, the crop supplies the snack, fried food, and processed food industries, sectors that demand specific varieties depending on their use: potatoes for fresh consumption, for chips, for French fries, and for colored chips—a niche market that has grown in recent years.

In this context, the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIAP) is working on developing new options for producers. Jorge Rivadeneira, director of the Santa Catalina Experimental Station, reported that the institute is about to release two new genetic materials with potential for the colored flake industry.

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“The potato markets are differentiated. We have markets for fresh consumption, for potato flakes, for varieties destined for fries, and also for colored potatoes, which are used in the production of specialty chips,” explained Rivadeneira. These latter products have gained ground in the snack market, where colored flakes are sold as a gourmet or differentiated option.

The two materials currently being evaluated stand out for their high anthocyanin content, natural compounds that give potatoes purple, red, or blue hues. According to Rivadeneira, these varieties could be released next year and are specifically targeted at the colored chip industry, which requires tubers with particular characteristics in terms of texture, color, and yield.

When asked about their adaptability, the director of INIAP specified that these new potatoes can be grown in any potato-growing area of ​​the country located between 2,800 and 3,300 meters above sea level, within the agricultural zone where this crop is normally produced in Ecuador.