Global potato production continues to grow. Between 2020 and 2024, potato production increased from 370 to 390 million tons. This brings the 400 million ton mark rapidly closer.
Statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) show that just over 390 million tons of potatoes were produced globally in 2024. The Southern Hemisphere saw the largest increases that year, with growth rates of 6% to 9% compared to 2023. Only Africa and North America saw a decrease in 2024.
National sources indicate that Canada and the United States will again see slightly lower production in 2025. In both countries, harvests will be around 2% smaller than in 2024. This will be more than offset by area expansions and high potato yields in the European Union.
The main potato-growing areas in Northwest Europe (the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France) in particular have harvested more potatoes. More potatoes have also been grown in countries like Poland, Romania, and Austria. This means the EU potato harvest will soon be 5 million tons higher than in 2024.
Although the EU has seen an increase in harvests for the third consecutive year, there is no long-term upward trend. For example, similar production was achieved in the EU-27 in 2017, when more hectares of potatoes were grown. According to Eurostat figures, potato production reached 1,6 million hectares in 2017 and 1,45 million hectares in 2025. However, significantly higher yields were achieved last year, partly due to a larger area in Northwestern Europe: 34,8 tons in 2017 and 37,5 tons in 2025.
Asia and other growth regions
Despite the dynamism in Europe and North America, production growth in Asia remains the largest global driver. China and India are by far the world's largest producers, with China alone accounting for roughly a quarter of global production. Total production in Asia has now risen to over 200 million tons, according to FAO figures. This means that more than half of all potatoes are grown in Asia. Europe follows with a harvest of around 100 million tons, but in the distant past, this has been more than double that.
Just as in Asia, potatoes are gaining significant ground in Africa. Although production there is much smaller in absolute terms than in Asia and Europe, this region is among the fastest-growing markets due to rising domestic demand and improved growing conditions. In recent years, Africa has taken a major step forward, with potato production increasing from 30 to 31 million tons in 2020 and 2021 to over 34 million tons in 2023 and 2024.