Prince Edward Island Potatoes are grown for three specific markets:
- Table potatoes, sold to retail and food service sectors.
- Processing potatoes, manufactured into French fries, potato chips, and many other products.
- Seed potatoes, grown with high quality and health standards to yield future commercial potato crops.
Approximately 60% of Prince Edward Island potatoes are destined for processing, 30% go to the fresh market through retail or food service, while 10% are grown for seed purposes. Seed and table potatoes are shipped to over 20 countries annually, including the United States, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Italy, Thailand, and more.
Prince Edward Island’s shipping season begins in late July, with early or “new” potatoes hitting the market in Atlantic Canada. The main crop is harvested starting in September. Shipments to all markets begin at this time, with round white, reds and yellow varieties often available first and russet varieties available later in the autumn months.
