France
pomme de terre
Year2007
Production
6 912 700 tons
Harvested area
358 150 acres
Yield
19.28 tons/acre
The potato plant was introduced to France at the beginning of the 17th century, but its true value as food was not recognized until the late 18th century, when a renowned army chemist, A.A. Parmentier, recommended it as the solution to endemic famines that were then devastating the country.
Potato cultivation took off, with output rising from 1.65 million tons in 1803 to 13 million in 1865. Production reached its zenith in 1960, with a harvest of around 15.4 million tons. Since then, there has been a steady decline, to just under seven million tons in 2007. Some 2.2 million tons of France's potatoes are destined for the domestic fresh market, and 1.1 million tons for the processing industry. France is Europe's No. 1 exporter of fresh potatoes, with nearly 1.65 million tons shipped in 2005/2006, and dedicates some 35 800 acres for production of potato seedlings.
Today, the potato still has an important place in the national diet: the French consume each year per capita nearly 66 lb of fresh potatoes and another 55 lb of processed products.
Further information: Comité national interprofessionnel de la pomme de terre