Apr 13, 2023U.S. potato exports reach a record $2.1 billion in 2022
U.S. potato exports reached a record $2.1 billion in 2022, an increase of 11% from the previous year.
A Trade Data Monitor analysis found that while volume sales declined by 4.2%, export values rose across all potato types: frozen, fresh, dehydrated, seed and chips.
Volume sales were also higher than in 2018 and 2020.
The analysis attributed the growth to global prices increases and inflation, with the decrease in export volume resulting from tight supply in the face of strong demand.
Mexico ranked as the top 2022 export market for U.S. potatoes, followed by Canada, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.
Frozen potato exports rose by 13.8% from 2021 to $1.34 billion, while volume decreased 2.5%. The top destinations for U.S. frozen potatoes were Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and the Philippines. Frozen shipment volumes to Japan and South Korea increased, while shipments to Mexico and the Philippines decreased slightly compared to 2021.
Fresh potato sales rose 9% to $287 million, while volume, including both table-stock and chipping potatoes for processing, decreased by 9.7%. Canada, Mexico, Japan and Taiwan were the top export markets for fresh potatoes. While fresh shipments to most markets decreased, expanding market access for U.S. fresh potatoes beyond Mexico’s border region led to an increase in fresh shipments to Mexico of nearly 10%.
The value of dehydrated potatoes increased by 1.1%, reaching $217.6 million, though the volume of U.S. dehydrated potato shipments declined 3.2%. Canada, Mexico, Japan and the United Kingdom were the top markets for U.S. dehydrated potatoes, with shipments to Canada and the UK up from 2021. Shipments to Mexico and Japan decreased in 2022.
The shipment volume of seed potatoes and finished chips in 2022 increased by 28.8% and 2.2%, respectively, compared to 2021. The export value in 2022 amounted to $16.3 million for seed potatoes and $211.6 million for potato chips.
Maintaining a consistent supply of U.S. potato exports proved challenging throughout the year, according to the analysis. Despite inflation-drive price increases, demand for U.S. potatoes remained strong, and by year end, supply in markets including South Korea and Myanmar stabilized.
Importers, foodservice operators and retailers in key markets reported their preference for U.S. potatoes over competitor products, and several buyers returned to purchasing U.S. potatoes when supply became available again, the analysis found.
