World Revised Figures Show Halt in Rise in Potato Production

The increase in world potato production stalled in 2018 and failed to recover significantly in 2019. World output slipped by 1.5% to 368.247 million tonnes in 2018 figures just released by the UN Food & Agriculture Organisation show. However, that was still the third highest total ever after 2017 and 2014.

There was a major adjustment in the area figures in 2018, which knocked onto production figures. The UN FAO estimated that the 158 countries it had figures for (or made calculations for) grew by 17.580 million hectares. Last year the organisation estimated a 2017 area figure of 19.099 million hectares, it has now downgraded the 2017 figure to 17.580 million hectare, a 7.9% reduction.

The biggest adjustments were in the Chinese and Russian areas. The new figures estimate that 4.813 million hectares of potatoes were grown in China in 2018, down 1.0% on 2017 and delivering 90.321 million tonnes of crop, which was 2.0% up on figures from the year before.

Previous estimates suggested a 2017 Chinese crop of 99.206 million tonnes from 5.767 million hectares – a 16.5% difference in area. If the new figures are correct, China is further than ever from its long-term aim of doubling potato production to 200 million tonnes.