Two-star rating for potato video

My initial reaction when watching the now infamous video about the Maltese potato farmer and his family was that it was a satirical work.

I have no particular axe to grind with a family who live and breathe potatoes from “dawn to dusk”, however I would venture to ask what the film hoped to achieve?

On the one hand it is a rural idyll, almost Hardyesque, of an extended family toiling away in a very small field for limited financial gain. On the other hand it exposes a grossly unprofitable and inefficient way of producing food. I have farming friends in England who are capable of cultivating hundreds of hectares with one set of machinery. Even allowing for the small field sizes in Malta it is still clear that “progress” in Maltese potato production has been minimal.

As for taste: Maltese potatoes are superb, so isn’t it a great shame that the best ones are exported? There are enough top quality restaurants on Malta more than capable of adding them to their menus.

Finally, many people have commented upon the farmer’s limited command of the English language. Frankly they have a point but whether this is a reflection of his own lack of opportunity or a failing of the education system is a matter for further discussion.

Ultimately, I viewed this video as a victory for mediocrity.