Chile: Frozen Potato Imports Reach US$91 Million as Wholesale Prices Rise 159%
Chile imported US$110 million of potato products in January-August 2026, mostly frozen fries from Belgium, Argentina and the Netherlands. Wholesale potato prices in August were 159% above a year earlier.
Chile spent US$110 million on potato imports in the first eight months of 2026. That is 9% less than a year earlier, according to the September potato bulletin of ODEPA, the agricultural policy office. Import volume fell 4.7% to 81 million kilos.
Frozen prepared potatoes, mainly French fries, dominate the trade. They made up 83% of import value, or US$91 million. Their volume was 70 million kilos. Frozen imports fell 13% in value and 8% in volume.
Three suppliers lead the market. Belgium had 30% of import value, Argentina 26% and the Netherlands 24%.
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Small but growing exports
Chilean potato exports are much smaller. They reached US$3 million in January-August, up 19%. Volume rose 47% to 2 million kilos. Seed potatoes were 46% of export volume. Potato snacks made up 55% of export value. Uruguay took 47% of export value and Brazil 25%.
Fresh potato prices jump
At home, fresh potatoes became much more expensive. In August, the average wholesale price was 15,380 pesos per 25-kg sack, including VAT. That is 23% more than in July and 159% more than in August 2025.
Consumer prices also rose. At street markets in the Santiago region, potatoes cost 935 pesos per kilo, up 69% year on year. In supermarkets they cost 1,669 pesos per kilo, up 50%.
ODEPA links the increase to lower volumes from southern regions, where harvest is finished. Supply from the Coquimbo region is also lower because of weather. Prices usually rise in late winter and early spring, when supply moves from one region to another.
The national potato area for 2025/26 is 38,553 hectares, 2% less than before. La Araucanía has 27% of the area and Los Lagos 20%.
Why it matters
Chile relies on imports for most of its French fries. Europe’s poor 2026 crop may raise prices for frozen fries in the coming months. Argentina is already a major supplier and could gain share. At the same time, high fresh prices at home give Chilean growers a strong incentive to plant for the new season.
Photo: Frozen pre-fried French fries (illustrative). LimoWreck / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
