The main types of potatoes are categorized by skin color, flesh color, and intended use, with five primary categories dominating global production.
By Skin and Flesh Color:
In the United States, russet varieties account for approximately 70% of total planted acreage, while non-russet varieties make up the remaining 30% (USDA ERS 2024). The non-russet categories include:
- White-skinned varieties dominate the chip-processing segment and account for roughly 20% of US potato acreage when combined with table varieties
- Red varieties are grown almost exclusively for the fresh market
- Yellow varieties also target the fresh market segment
- Blue and purple varieties together with red varieties hold the smallest commercial share at 8-12% of US acreage
Specialty and Heritage Types:
Beyond commercial varieties, over 5,000 potato varieties exist globally according to multiple sources. The EUROPOTATO database contains 6,199 varieties, while CIP (International Potato Center) preserves over 4,000 cultivated accessions. Peru alone maintains 3,000+ native varieties, reflecting the crop's Andean origins.
Premium Colored Varieties:
Specialty colored potatoes including purple varieties like All Blue, Vitelotte, and Purple Viking, plus red-fleshed varieties like Highland Burgundy Red, typically command 50-200% premium pricing over standard white/yellow varieties in retail markets (USDA ERS).
The most widely grown commercial varieties globally include Russet Burbank (USA, primarily for French fries), Gala (Russia), Maris Piper (UK), and Desiree (grown internationally).