Potato world

The IYP Secretariat wishes to thank the International Potato Center and FAO's Statistics Division for their invaluable assistance in compiling our "Potato world" section

Potato world

Developed countries
Developing countries

World potato production, 1991-2007

1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007
Countriesmillion tonnes
Developed 201.86 219.70 195.62 192.49 182.90 184.01 177.43 176.35 171.47
Developing 93.54 112.38 119.60 141.88 148.97 160.84 167.67 176.50 182.04
WORLD 283.56 332.09 315.22 334.39 331.88 344.86 345.12 352.86 353.52
Source: FAOSTAT

The world potato sector is undergoing major changes. Until the early 1990s, most potatoes were grown and consumed in Europe, North America and countries of the former Soviet Union. Since then, there has been a dramatic increase in potato production and demand in Asia, Africa and Latin America, where output rose from around 30 million tons in the early 1960s to more than 180 million tons in 2007. FAO data shows that in 2005, for the first time, the developing world's potato production exceeded that of the developed world. China is now the biggest potato producer, and almost a third of all potatoes is harvested in China and India.

Top potato producers, 2006-2007

Quantity (tons), 2007 Lbs per capita, 2006
1. China79 366 4281. Belarus1 842.0
2. Russian Fed.39 372 3622. Netherlands915.1
3. India28 968 7463. Ukraine914.4
4. Ukraine21 056 3544. Denmark641.7
5. USA19 460 1195. Latvia630.5
6. Germany12 791 7736. Poland598.5
7. Poland12 369 1477. Belgium589.5
8. Belarus9 366 0008. Lithuania575.8
9. Netherlands7 936 6429. Russian Fed.570.9
10. France6 912 59510. Kyrgyzstan483.6
Source: FAOSTAT
Europe
Latin
America
Asia/Oceania
Africa
North America
Production
quantity

Potato production, by region, 2007

Harvested area Quantity Yield
acrestonstons/acre
Africa3 714 33617 977 0804.83
Asia/Oceania 21 606 452151 218 2886.99
Europe18 383 460141 766 4087.71
Latin America2 378 21617 621 3537.40
North America1 519 77024 941 20816.41
WORLD47 598 283353 480 3237.42
Source: FAOSTAT

Asia and Europe are the world's major potato producing regions, accounting for more than 80 percent of world production in 2006. While harvests in Africa and Latin America were far smaller, production was at or near record levels. North America was the clear leader in yields, at 16.5 tons per acre.

Europe
Latin
America
Asia/Oceania
Africa
North America
Consumption
(per capita)

Potato consumption, by region, 2005

PopulationConsumption
Total food (tons)lbs per capita
Africa905 937 00014 164 70031.26
Asia/Oceania 3 938 469 000112 166 78956.94
Europe739 276 000 78 360 004211.97
Latin America561 344 00014 638 69452.13
North America330 608 00021 115 875127.73
WORLD6 475 634 000240 446 06374.25
Source: FAOSTAT

Asia consumes almost half of the world's potato supply, but it's huge population means that consumption per person was a modest 57 lbs in 2005. The heartiest potato eaters are Europeans. Per capita consumption is lowest, but increasing, in Africa and Latin America.

Top potato consumers, 2005

Quantity (tons) lbs per capita
1. China58 292 0001. Belarus745.14
2. Russian Fed.22 533 0002. Kyrgyzstan335.54
3. India20 120 0003. Russian Fed.313.01
4. USA18 076 0004. Ukraine312.21
5. United Kingdom7 542 0005. Latvia300.13
6. Ukraine7 340 0006. Armenia290.48
7. Germany6 746 0007. Lithuania288.07
8. Poland5 393 0008. Poland281.64
9. France4 276 0009. Rwanda275.20
10. Bangladesh4 129 00010. Portugal261.51
Source: FAOSTAT