Mexico: Potato Prices Fall 6.7% in Early September, One of the Few Food Items to Get Cheaper
Consumer prices for potatoes and other tubers in Mexico fell 6.69% in the first half of September, according to the national statistics institute. The fall came while overall inflation rose to 3.42% a year.
Consumer prices for potatoes are falling in Mexico. In the first half of September 2026, the price item “potatoes and other tubers” fell 6.69% compared with the second half of August. The national statistics institute INEGI published the data on 24 September. The newspapers Excélsior and Expansión reported the figure.
The fall stands out because most food prices rose. Overall consumer prices increased 0.33% in the two weeks. Annual inflation rose to 3.42%, from 3.26% in August. Tomatoes and onions were the main drivers. According to Excélsior, tomato prices rose 22.79% in the period. The newspaper El Financiero also listed potatoes and other tubers among the main items that became cheaper.
Core inflation, which leaves out farm products and energy, rose 0.17% in the two weeks. Non-core inflation rose 0.88%.
Weekdays. Unsubscribe in one click.
Earlier this year, potato prices in Mexico rose sharply. In July, the specialist site PotatoPro reported that potato prices had risen year on year for eight fortnights in a row. The site cited an annual increase of 65.7% in the latest period and wholesale prices of 20–28 pesos per kg. It named drought and smaller harvests in several producing states as causes. These July figures come from one source.
The new data suggest that part of that increase is now reversing. The statistics do not explain the reason for the fall. They also do not separate potatoes from other tubers.
Why it matters
Potato prices matter for Mexican households and for trade. Mexico is the leading destination for potato exports from the United States. Our report on Mexico as the leading market for US potato exports was published on 14 September. The fall in early September is one of the first signs of relief after months of high potato prices. The next fortnightly data will show whether the trend continues.
Photo: Potatoes and other vegetables at a market stall in Xochimilco, Mexico City (illustrative). Cristofor Ferrandis / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
