On October 9, the 2026 "Pema Potato" Competition concluded in Pema Village, Tashikhang Township, Dinggye County, Xigaze City. A giant potato weighing 3.2 jin(1.6 kg) was crowned "Potato King," setting a new record for the heaviest single potato in Dinggye County.

Even bigger surprises followed. In 2026, Pema Village's 44.3 mu(about 2.95 hectares) of potato fields yielded a bumper harvest, with total output exceeding 300,000 jin(150 tons), an average yield of 6,772 jin per mu (about 50,790 kg per hectare), and a maximum yield of over 7,050 jin per mu(about 52,875 kg per hectare). With both single-potato weight and per-mu yield breaking records, "Pema Potato" delivered a hardcore harvest report.

At the competition site, in the courtyard of the Pema Village Committee, long tables were set up in a row, with freshly dug potatoes arranged by number. Villagers crowdedtightlyaround the electronic scale. A staff member placed a potato on the scale, and the number finally settled at 1.60 kilograms. After a brief silence, applause and cheers erupted.

As a unique geographical indication variety of Pema Village, "Pema Potato" has long made a name for itself in surrounding counties on the strength of its quality."Pema Potato" is sandy, glutinous, and dense, with a sweet taste; the tubers are plump and uniform, large and substantial; they are rich in starch with a strong natural potato aroma; they are soft and floury when steamed or boiled without being dry, and easy to cook until tender and flavorful when stewed.

This hard-to-replicate quality stems from Pema Village's unique soil and water conditions: high altitude, strong sunlight, and large temperature differences between day and night allow the tubers to fully accumulate sugar and dry matter; the fertile sandy loam is breathable, retains fertilizer, and drains well, perfectly suited to potato tuber expansion. Surrounding townships have repeatedly introduced and trial-planted the variety, yet have never been able to replicate the same quality and yield, making its regional scarcity particularly prominent.

Guru Tsering, Party branch secretary of Pema Village, said in the future, the village will continue to focus on the direction of specialty industry development, expanding standardized planting scale while purifying and rejuvenating local varieties, and broadening online and offline sales channels to burnish the "Pema Potato" golden brand, making this small plateau potato truly a "golden egg" that drives villagers to increase incomes and prosper.

Translator: Zheng Yujie

First Review: Pan Lu, Liu Fang

Second Review: Drakpa Wangchen

Third Review: Hu Rongguo