Beyond raw potatoes, the value of worldwide shipments for prepared or preserved potatoes including frozen French fries represents an additional $10.8 billion in international sales.
Overall, the value of exported raw potatoes flatlined in value by an average -0.6% for all exporting countries since 2017 when raw potatoes shipments were valued at $4.34 billion.
Total prepared or preserved potatoes shipments including frozen French fries appreciated by 15% over the same 5-year period.
Year over year, the value of exported raw potatoes declined by -2.2% from 2020 to 2021. In contrast, the annual change for prepared or preserved potatoes including frozen French fries was a 14.8% increase in total value.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for raw potatoes is 0701. The 6-digit prefix for frozen prepared or preserved potatoes including French fries is 200410 while 200520 is the 6-digit prefix for unfrozen potatoes prepared or preserved with vinegar or acetic acid.
Potatoes Exports by Country: Raw
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of unprocessed raw potatoes shipped during 2021.
- Netherlands: US$821.2 million (19% of exported raw potatoes)
- France: $666.1 million (15.4%)
- Germany: $382.5 million (8.9%)
- Canada: $292.4 million (6.8%)
- United States: $275.9 million (6.4%)
- Egypt: $200.2 million (4.6%)
- China: $196.4 million (4.5%)
- Belgium: $181.5 million (4.2%)
- United Kingdom: $143.1 million (3.3%)
- Spain: $132.4 million (3.1%)
- Pakistan: $112.8 million (2.6%)
- Israel: $79.8 million (1.8%)
- India: $70.9 million (1.6%)
- Belarus: $67.7 million (1.6%)
- Denmark: $58.7 million (1.4%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 85.3% of global raw potatoes exported in 2021 by value.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing raw potatoes exporters since 2020 were: Pakistan (up 61.4%), Belarus (up 49.8%), Israel (up 20.6%) and Spain (up 14.8%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported raw potatoes sales were led by: mainland China (down -32.2%), Belgium (down -19.5%), Egypt (down -9.8%), France (down -3.1%) and Canada (down -1.2%).
Potatoes Exports by Country: Prepared or Preserved
Frozen prepared or preserved potatoes including French fries amounted to $6.8 billion in export sales for 2021 (thus equaling 73.5% of the overall prepared or preserved total), while international shipments of unfrozen prepared or preserved potatoes were worth another $2.5 billion (representing 26.5%).
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of prepared or preserved potatoes during 2021, including both frozen and unfrozen goods.
- Belgium: US$2.53 billion (23.4% of exported frozen prepared/preserved potatoes)
- Netherlands: $2.2 billion (20%)
- United States: $1.5 billion (13.8%)
- Canada: $1.4 billion (13.3%)
- Germany: $485 million (4.5%)
- France: $482.2 million (4.5%)
- Poland: $360.6 million (3.3%)
- Argentina: $205 million (1.9%)
- United Kingdom: $198.5 million (1.8%)
- Spain: $160.8 million (1.5%)
- Russia: $121 million (1.1%)
- Egypt: $94.2 million (0.9%)
- China: $70.8 million (0.7%)
- Austria: $65 million (0.6%)
- Portugal: $57.3 million (0.5%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 91.7% of all prepared or preserved spuds in 2021, encompassing both frozen and unfrozen products.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing exporters of frozen prepared or preserved potatoes from 2020 to 2021 were: Poland (up 111.5%), Portugal (up 83.2%), France (up 34.6%) and the United States of America (up 34.2%).
Those countries that posted declines in their export sales of frozen prepared or preserved potatoes were led by: mainland China (down -60.7%), Russia (down -44.6%), United Kingdom (down -40.4%), Egypt (down -17.8%) and Austria (down -4.9%).
See also Potatoes Imports by Country, Sweet Potatoes vs Yams by Export Sales, Unit Price & Weight, Asparagus Exports by Country, Top Sweet Pepper and Chili Pepper Exports and Top Cucumbers Exporting Countries
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 5, 2022
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on July 5, 2022
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 5, 2022
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 5, 2022
Wikipedia, Potato. Accessed on July 5, 2022
