Swapping the nation's staple

May 13, 2008

As rice and wheat prices continue to soar, Bangladesh's government is trying to convince people to eat potatoes instead. Bangladesh has also had an unusually good crop of potatoes that will need to be eaten before they rot. Spuds do not traditionally feature high up the menu for Bangladesh's 140 million people, but the government hopes a three-day potato festival in Dhaka can convince people that they are a good carbohydrate substitute to rice.