History of Potato Growing in Montenegro

Abstract

The beginning of potato growing is associated to Incas. This ancient civilization cultivated potatoes of all shapes, colours and flavours 10,000 years ago in the Andes. For communities that lived in the Andes at that time, these plants were the most important source of food. For the rest of the world, until the XVI century, potato was unknown culture. Spanish conqueror Pizarro brought potatoes from South America to Europe in 1562. As a botanical curiosity, first potatoes arrived to Spain, and were later on spread to other countries of Europe. For many years after introduction, potato was grown as an ornamental plant, until the Europeans accepted it as an edible plant. Growing of potatoes in Montenegro begins in late eighteenth century, similar as in other Balkan countries. Bishop Petar I Petrović Njegoš brought potatoes in Montenegro probably in early 1786. Due to favourable climatic and soil conditions, the areas planted with potatoes were quickly spread in Montenegro. Expansion of the areas planted with potatoes significantly improved the life of local population, and this culture, due to its enormous importance as a food, quickly got the epithet of “life-saving food”. Therefore, potatoes became, for a very short time, the leading agricultural crop and this status is maintained up to the present day.

Početak gajenja krompira vezuje se za Inke. Ova drevna civilizacija je prije 10.000 godina, na Andima, gajila krompir svih oblika, boja i ukusa. Za zajednice koje su u to vrijeme živjele na Andima ova biljna vrsta je bila najznačajniji izvor hrane. Za ostatak svijeta, sve do XVI vijeka, krompir je bio nepoznata kultura. Iz Južne Amerike u Evropu krompir je donio španski osvajač Pizarro 1562. godine. Kao botanički kuriozitet krompir je prvo stigao u Španiju, a odatle se kasnije proširio i u ostale zemlje Evrope. Godinama nakon unošenja krompir je gajen kao ukrasna biljka, sve dok ga Evropljani nijesu prihvatili kao jestivu namirnicu. Gajenje krompira u Crnoj Gori počinje krajem XVIII vijeka, manje-više kao i u ostalim balkanskim državama. Krompir je u Crnu Goru donio vladika Petar I Petrović Njegoš, najvjerovatnije početkom 1786. godine. Zahvaljujući veoma povoljnim klimatskim i zemljišnim uslovima površine pod krompirom u Crnoj Gori su se brzo širile. Širenjem površina pod krompirom značajno je poboljšan život lokalnog stanovništva, pa je ova kultura, zbog svog ogromnog prehrambenog značaja, vrlo brzo dobila epitet spasonosne hrane. Zbog toga je krompir, za veoma kratko vrijeme, postao vodeća poljoprivredna kultura, a taj status je zadržao i do današnjih dana.