Welcome to the most important webpage of this website where you'll read the amazing history of potatos

The potato was first domesticated in the Andes mountains of South America around 8000 to 5000 BC and has since become one of the world's most important staple crops. 

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Incas and their predecessors in the region of modern-day southern Peru and northwestern Bolivia were the first to cultivate wild potato species, near Lake Titicaca. They developed sophisticated agricultural techniques, including a freeze-drying process to create chuño, a lightweight and long-lasting food that could be stored for years and sustained Incan armies and populations through harsh winters and famines. The potato held significant cultural importance for these societies, appearing in their art and even being used as a unit of time measurement based on how long it took to cook. 

Spanish conquistadors encountered the potato in Peru in the 16th century and brought it back to Europe, likely as a food source for their return voyages. It arrived in Spain around 1570, but its acceptance across the continent was slow due to suspicion and fear; many Europeans initially considered it poisonous because it belonged to the nightshade family, or believed it caused diseases.