Trend away from potatoes driving drop in per capita vegetable availability

The per capita availability of vegetables and pulses in the U.S. fell to 376 pounds per person in 2024 — the lowest total in more than 35 years.

Preliminary estimates from USDA’s Economic Research Service also attributed a longer-term decline to an overall trend away from potatoes and processing vegetables.

Per capita availability, a proxy for what is available to be consumed domestically, reflects changes in domestic supply, trade and population size while not accounting for potential food loss or waste throughout the supply chain.

The 2024 estimate represents a decline of 50 pounds from the 1996 peak and reflects long-term shifts in vegetable production and trade patterns. An overall trend away from potatoes and processing vegetables has driven much of the long-term decline, according to the estimate.

Processing vegetables fell by 32 pounds from 1996−2024, while potato availability dropped by 28 pounds.

Fresh vegetables increased by 6 pounds, from 142 pounds in 1996 to 148 pounds in 2024. This increase, coupled with declines in other categories, contributed to fresh vegetables becoming the largest component of total per capita availability by 2024.

Last year, fresh vegetables accounted for 39% of total availability, followed by potatoes (31%), processing vegetables (25%), pulses (3%) and mushrooms (1%).