DENVER, CO - Last year proved to be impactful for United States potato exports, as evidenced by a recent report from Potatoes USA. The organization revealed that the nation’s export of the category hit a record $2.1 billion in sales, with the value of exports across all potato types increasing 11 percent from the year prior.

Although volume sales declined 4.2 percent, they were still higher than in 2018 and 2020 (fresh weight equivalent), according to a release. Demand for U.S. potato products remained strong throughout the year, showing that this slight decrease in export volume was due to tight supply.

Throughout 2022, the top export markets for U.S. potatoes were Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, in descending order.

In the frozen category, the nation’s potato exports rose by 13.8 percent, reaching $1.34 billion, despite volume decreasing 2.5 percent compared to 2021. U.S. fresh potato sales increased 9 percent to $287 million, although shipment volume decreased 9.7 percent.

Overall, maintaining a consistent supply of U.S. potato products was a challenge for exports; however, by the end of 2022, supplies had stabilized in some export markets, including South Korea and Myanmar. Despite inflation-driven price increases of U.S. products, global demand for the country’s potatoes remained strong, with importers, foodservice operators, and retailers in key markets preferring U.S. potatoes over competitor products.

To read more about 2022 U.S. potato export market trends, click here.

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Potatoes USA