China is the world's largest potato producer at 94.4 million tonnes (2022 FAOSTAT), but when it comes to exports, the picture is quite different.
France leads raw potato exports at $1.21 billion in 2023, making it the largest exporter of fresh potatoes globally. Belgium dominates frozen potato products with $4.8 billion in frozen fries exports (28.9% of global market share), processing over 2 million tonnes annually for 150+ countries. The Netherlands controls the seed potato market, exporting 75% of the world's 1.48 million tonnes of seed potatoes to 80+ countries.
Other major exporters include Germany, which saw 42.3% growth in 2022-2023, and the United States, which is a significant exporter of both frozen products and seed potatoes. China has emerged as a net exporter of frozen fries since 2022, primarily serving the Philippines, Japan, and Thailand. India is rapidly expanding its export presence, with frozen fry exports reaching 268,342 tonnes in 2024.
The fastest-growing raw potato exporters in 2022-2023 were Italy (+52.7%), Spain (+50.4%), and Germany (+42.3%), while Pakistan (-34.8%) and China (-7.6%) saw declines in raw potato exports according to Tendata trade data.
Total global potato trade is approximately $22.8 billion, covering fresh potatoes, processed products, seed potatoes, and various potato-based foods across international markets.