Potato set to become the fourth food staple

China is aiming to have 6.66 million hectares on which to grow potatoes by 2020, as the crop is set to become the nation's fourth food staple after rice, wheat and corn, according to a guideline released on Tuesday.

The guideline on developing the potato industry, released by the Ministry of Agriculture, also states that the country will encourage consumption of tomatoes as a staple food.

It says that authorities will ensure that 30 percent of the potatoes cultivated are varieties that are good for the production of food staples. The consumption of potatoes for food-staple purposes will comprise 30 percent of total potato consumption.