US Potato Exports to Hit Record Sales in 2022

By 2022, the US potato industry will sell $2.1 billion (€1.9 billion) worth of potatoes and potato products abroad. Export value has never been so high.

Compared to export year 2021, the value of sales of frozen products, dehydrated products, fresh potatoes and seed potatoes increased by a combined 11 percent. This is evident from the export figures recently released by Potatoes USA, the American potato organization. The increase in export value is mainly attributed to global inflation and associated price hikes.

Sales of potatoes and processed products were 4.2 percent lower in 2022 than the previous year. Foreign demand for U.S. potato products remained strong throughout the year, according to Potatoes USA. Exports have declined marginally due to smaller yields. The main export markets are Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.

Many fries go to Southeast Asia

The value of US exports of frozen potatoes is expected to increase by 13.8 percent to $1.34 billion (€1.22 billion) in 2022. The export volume of this segment decreased by 2.5 percent. Southeast Asia and Mexico are major markets for French fries and other frozen products in the United States.

Export value of fresh potatoes rose 9 percent last year to $287 million (262 million euros). This concerns both table potatoes and potato chips for processing. In volume terms, these exports fell by 9 percent. Canada and Mexico are the biggest buyers. Because of improved market access, Mexico bought 10 percent more new potatoes from the United States.

Dried or dehydrated potato products

For dried or dehydrated potato products, Canada and Mexico and Japan and Great Britain are again the most important markets. In value terms, exports of these products will be 1.1 percent higher in 2022 than in 2021. In terms of volume, overseas sales were 3.2 percent lower. Volume was lower due to lower sales figures in Mexico and Japan.

Export volume of both seed potatoes and chips rose by 28.8 and 2.2 per cent respectively last year. For seed potatoes, the USA will record an export value of 16.3 million dollars (14.9 million euros) in 2022, and chips produced in the United States will have sold 211.6 million dollars (192.8 million euros) to foreign destinations.