Andean Potatoes To Be Processed in The New Planta Industrializadora de Alimentos Facility

In the following three months, a potato processing facility (Planta Industrializadora de Alimentos) in the Vila Vila community of the Sipe Sipe municipality in Cochabamba, Bolivia, will start operating. Pilot tests are being carried out to enter the potato’s commercialization phase.
“We are going to begin the era of industrialization and commercialization of the potato that is produced in the Andean region of the department. We have seen with satisfaction the first steps that this industry is taking. Tests are being carried out so that it can go on the market with products this year,” the governor of Cochabamba, Humberto Sánchez, recently mentioned, cited by laRazon.
The information was confirmed via Instagram, on an official post by the Gobernacion de Cochabamba (@gobernaciondecochabamba): “Governor Humberto Sánchez inspected the Government’s Food Industrialization Plant, which operates in the community of Vila Vila, in the municipality of Sipe Sipe, where potato production is industrialized, in three production lines: potato flour, frozen pre-fried potatoes, and potato porridge, products that will be launched on the market this year, as part of the actions that strengthen agricultural production and contribute to the reactivation of the productive apparatus in the department.”
The person in charge of the plant, Rubén Ferrufino, explained for laRazon that 90 tons of potatoes will be industrialized at the Planta Industrializadora de Alimentos facility. He added that the products will have the name “Llajta Papa” and “Llajta Papilla” and will be sold in markets, supermarkets, restaurants, and through an entire distribution chain, so strategic alliances with companies will be consolidated.
‘Complejo Productivo de Papa Project’ Implementation
The director of Complejos Productivos de la Gobernación, José Antonio García, explained that the industrialization of the potato is part of the Implementación del Complejo Productivo de Papa project, in the Andean Region of the Department of Cochabamba. In 2018, an agreement was signed between the Government and the Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Integral (FONADIN). The document has three components: support for seed potato production, technical training, and production of the three mentioned products.
Based on the laRazon intel, José Antonio García pointed out that for the production of the pre-frozen fried potatoes, potatoes of the Desirée variety will be used, and for the mixed baby food, native potatoes such as Pinta Bocas purple potatoes.
The project will assist potato growers from nine Andean communities. They’ll bring the fresh productto the Planta Industrializadora de Alimentos. These communities include Cocapata, Independencia, Morochata, Arque, Bolivar, Tapacarí, Tacopaya, Sipe Sipe, and Capinota.