Canada
potato, patate,
pomme de terre
Year2007
Production
5 468 032 tons
Harvested area
392 550 acres
Yield
13.95 tons/acre
Potatoes were first grown by settlers in New Brunswick, on Canada's Atlantic coast, as early as the mid-1600s. Today, Canada ranks as the world's 13th largest potato grower, with 2007 output of 5.5 million tons. The potato accounts for one third of all vegetable farm cash receipts, or $846 million in 2007, making it Canada's most important horticultural crop.
Since the early 1990s, Canadian potato production has expanded to meet international demand for frozen potato products. In 2006-07, Canada shipped more than one million tons of frozen French fries to foreign markets, making it the second largest French fry exporter after the Netherlands. In the same period, it exported 132 000 tons of seed potatoes valued at $38 million and 520 000 tons of table potatoes worth $140 million.
Potatoes account for about 36 percent of all fresh and processed vegetables consumed in Canada. Despite the potato’s popularity, however, total consumption has declined from 167 lb per person in 1994 to 143 lb in 2007.
Further information: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada