Chapter 177 Potatoes, one of the three treasures for famine relief
Chao Chao thought about the weight of the bag of potato chips. It was very light and there were not many chips in it, but that bag seemed to cost several dollars.
That big plate of shredded potatoes at noon, didn't it cost dozens of yuan? It's more expensive than meat.
Chaochao knew that the Su family didn't have much money, but it was really not easy for them to be so generous in entertaining them.
She sighed slightly and whispered to He Nanzhou, "Dad, can we not let Sister Su make shredded potatoes tonight?"
He Nanzhou was stunned, "Chao Chao doesn't like to eat?"
"No, it's just too expensive." Chao Chao sighed like a little adult, "Next time I want to eat potatoes, I can just buy a few dollars of potato chips to satisfy my craving."
He Nanzhou, "..."
He was really about to die of laughter, so in the little girl's mind, potato chips costing a few dollars are so cheap, and a plate of shredded potatoes is too expensive?
He couldn't help but touch the little girl's head. "Potatoes are not expensive. The potato chips we buy in the supermarket are sold for a few dollars a small bag because of its processing technology and brand premium. But the potatoes we eat are actually very cheap. Like sweet potatoes, they are a high-yield food."
Chao Chao tilted her head. "Same as sweet potatoes?"
"Yes." Thinking of the fact that there were no potatoes in Shangliu Village where Chao Chao lived before, He Nanzhou, like Jian Yunsang, could not help but explain in more detail, "Potatoes, sweet potatoes and corn were all introduced from overseas during the Ming Dynasty. At that time, the introduction of potatoes directly increased the population of our country by 300 million. It is the fourth largest staple food after rice, wheat and corn."
Staple food? ?
Chao Chao was puzzled, "Aren't they meant to be dishes and snacks?" Shredded potatoes, potato brisket, potato chips, and mashed potatoes are not meant to be eaten as staple foods.
He Nanzhou smiled and said, "Potatoes are very useful. They are indeed the staple food. It's just that the taste is relatively light, not as sweet as sweet potatoes and corn, so most people like to cook it with meat, which will taste more delicious. But in the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was called the 'three treasures for famine relief' together with sweet potatoes and corn. In years of disaster, it saved many victims and alleviated the pressure of famine."
Chao Chao didn't expect potatoes to be so powerful. "So, is its yield also very high?"
This time, He Nanzhou looked at Jian Yunsang on the side. He knew some knowledge about potatoes, but his understanding of agriculture was not very thorough. As a teacher, Jian Yunsang often came across this knowledge in textbooks, so she replied immediately.
"Yes, the yield of potatoes per mu is also 7,000 to 8,000 kilograms, which is slightly lower than that of sweet potatoes. However, the maturity period of potatoes is shorter. If it is an early-maturing variety, it can be harvested in more than two months. Moreover, potatoes are cold-resistant and drought-resistant, and have strong adaptability. They can be planted in mountainous and high-cold areas and can grow even in very harsh environments. Like sweet potatoes, they grow underground and have high nutritional value."
"Potatoes can also be ground into powder and made into various vermicelli, which are also delicious."
"Of course, we should also pay attention to one thing. After potatoes are harvested, if they are left for a long time and sprout, they are toxic. Of course, if there are only a few sprouts, as long as you handle them properly, remove the sprouted parts, and cook them, it is still fine. This is an extremely low-risk food, so there is no need to panic."
Chaochao nodded as he listened, seeming that he understood but still needed to digest it.
But the excitement under the sky was boiling again and again.
Did you hear that? Did you hear that?!
It is also a high-yield grain, with an output of 7,000 to 8,000 kilograms per mu. Moreover, the harvest time is short and it is cold-resistant, making it a great treasure for famine relief.
The people of Daqi were so happy that they almost cried. Being able to see the sky curtain was the greatest luck in their lives. Chao Chao was their lucky star.
They know about sweet potatoes, and now they know about potatoes. If they in Daqi also had these high-yield staple foods, how could they not survive?
Some people even burst into tears.
"Dad, Mom, did you hear me? Why don't you just hold on and wait until you find some sweet potatoes and potatoes? Then you can survive."
"If only the sky curtain had appeared two years earlier, our village wouldn't have been reduced to only a few families due to the famine."
"My brother and sister died of starvation. Will we really have this food in the future?"
"Yes, there must be one. Everyone in the world has seen it. Your Majesty will definitely send someone to find it."
"Yes, I heard from the merchants earlier that there has been an imperial decree from the capital, His Majesty has ordered people to look for high-yield sweet potatoes, and now we have potatoes, so we will all have enough to eat in the future."
Emperor Jingxuan, who was being discussed at the moment, was more excited than the people had imagined. When he heard He Nanzhou mention the population increase of 300 million, he stood up suddenly in shock.
The population has increased by 300 million. 300 million, what does this mean?
This made him even more excited than hearing that the population in later generations would be 1.4 billion.
After all, that was in the future, which was too far away from him. But now he was told that in the future, the population began to explode due to the introduction of potatoes, which was something that was very close to him and could be realized.
Which emperor who wants to achieve something does not want the population to explode during his reign?
Emperor Jingxuan was determined to be a wise ruler, so of course he was envious of such high-yield grain.
Not only him, but the ministers below had also started buzzing with discussions.
Potatoes are another high-yield grain. Not only that, they can also be used for cooking, and they are even more popular for cooking in later generations.
Looking at Chao Chao’s happy expression when eating shredded potatoes, you know that this dish must be delicious.
Someone was very sharp-eared. Thinking of what He Nanzhou had just said, he said excitedly, "They also mentioned corn. Didn't He Nanzhou say that potatoes are the fourth staple food after rice, wheat, and corn? So corn is also a staple food like rice and wheat."
"Corn is also a great food source for famine relief, so it is definitely a high-yield food, and it is also easy to grow!!"
“Yes, yes, and corn was also introduced during the Ming Dynasty.”
Everyone was extremely excited. If they could also find these kinds of food, they wouldn't have to worry about the food shortage crisis.
There were even ministers who were ready to lead a team out to sea in search of high-yield grain.
Emperor Jingxuan called out anxiously, "Yu Kangsheng, Yu Kangsheng."
Lord Yu was still thinking about potatoes when he suddenly heard his name and hurriedly stepped out of the team, "I am here."
What did your majesty ask him to do?
He subconsciously thought that potatoes were crops, so His Majesty should look for the Minister of Agriculture. At worst, he should look for the Ministry of War, which was responsible for sending people to find high-yield crops.
Are you calling him suddenly because you have become accustomed to calling him that recently?
Mr. Yu didn't know whether he should be happy or sad about such attention.
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