Data shows record increase in U.S. potato exports from July 2022 to June 2023

U.S. potato exports reached record value and volume in the 12-month period from July 2022 to June 2023, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data compiled by Trade Data Monitor.

Export value increased 19.05% to $2.2 billion, while export volume increased 3.85% to 3.3 million metric tons for the 12-month period, according to the organization.

An April analysis by Trade Data Monitor found that U.S. potato exports climbed to a record $2.1 billion in 2022, an increase of 11% from the previous year.

For the period from July 2022 to June 2023, export values increased across all categories — frozen, fresh, dehydrated, seed and chips — with double-digit increases in all but seed potatoes.

Dehydrated potatoes led the increase in export volume at 25.63%, while chip export value increased 11.34% and volume 11.19%, according to the data.

Seed potato exports also increased in value by 3.68%, though volume decreased by 5.82%. The export value of U.S. potato chips and seed potatoes amounted to $219 million and $15.1 million, respectively.

Frozen potato export value rose by 20.43% to $1.4 billion despite a 4.54% decrease in volume for the 12-month period. The export value of dehydrated potatoes rose by 24% to $257 million, with volume increasing by 25.63% to 965,523 metric tons.

Fresh potato export value rose 15.57% to $310.4 million, though the volume of shipments decreased by 3.07%.

Mexico, which opened its entire market to U.S. fresh potato exports in May 2022, ranked as the United States’ largest potato export market, followed by Japan and Canada.

Overall, approximately 20% of U.S. potatoes are exported, according to data compiled from the Commerce Department’s Foreign Trade Division.