The potato market in Russia’s Far East is experiencing a dramatic shift. According to Rosselkhoznadzor , 13,600 tons of potatoes were imported into Primorsky Krai since the beginning of 2025. This represents a more than 11-fold increase compared to the 1,200 tons imported during the same period in 2024.
The overwhelming majority of these imports — 13,400 tons — came from China, compared to just 233.3 tons in early 2024. In contrast, imports from Pakistan dropped sharply to 142.9 tons, down from 920.9 tons in the same period last year.
All imported products have passed quarantine phytosanitary inspections conducted by the Primorsky Interregional Department of Rosselkhoznadzor and have been cleared for entry into the Russian market.
This development raises several key points for agricultural professionals and policymakers:
- China’s export growth is a result of its high-tech, large-scale potato farming systems, particularly in Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, and Gansu provinces. The country produced over 96 million tons of potatoes in 2023, according to FAO data, making it the world’s largest potato producer.
- Pakistan, despite its ambition to become a major exporter of potatoes, has faced challenges in maintaining consistent export volumes due to climate-related issues, logistics bottlenecks, and increasing domestic demand.
- The sharp rise in imports to Primorsky Krai may indicate regional supply shortages, declining local production, or a shift in sourcing strategies by wholesalers seeking cost-effective bulk supply for the eastern Russian market.
At the same time, Russia’s domestic potato sector is grappling with several issues. While national production remains strong, regions like North Ossetia and parts of Siberia have reported declining cultivation areas due to unstable prices, labor shortages, and aging infrastructure. This makes certain markets, especially in the Far East, more dependent on imports to meet year-round demand.
The surge in potato imports from China to Primorsky Krai highlights the evolving landscape of Russia’s agricultural supply chain in the Far East. For farmers, agribusiness professionals, and policymakers, this is a call to assess regional self-sufficiency, strengthen storage and logistics infrastructure, and monitor international trade dependencies that may shape food security and market competitiveness in the years ahead.
