Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, United States, and Italy are among the world's largest potato importers, according to trade data from Tendata and World Bank WITS.
Major Import Patterns by Region:
Europe dominates global potato trade flows. Belgium imports substantial volumes of raw potatoes for its massive processing industry, then exports the finished products globally. The Netherlands is uniquely positioned as both a major exporter AND importer — importing specific varieties not grown domestically while exporting its own production and seed potatoes. The UK imported significant volumes despite producing 4.8 million tonnes domestically in 2022 (FAOSTAT), reflecting declining domestic production trends.
Russia represents one of the largest single-country import markets with 446,864 tonnes in 2023, down from 708,620 tonnes in 2022. Russia imports primarily during gaps between domestic harvest seasons, sourcing mainly from Egypt (largest supplier with 126,141 tonnes in H1 2024), Belarus (75,047 tonnes), Azerbaijan (42,069 tonnes), and increasingly from China (24,950 tonnes, up 288.9%).
Intra-European trade dominates volumes, with countries like Spain importing from France, Germany importing from Netherlands and Poland, and extensive cross-border flows within the EU. Middle East countries also represent major import markets, with Egypt serving as a key supplier to northern markets including Russia and EU countries.