U.S. Potato Exports 2025/26: 2.99 Million Tonnes Worth $2.17 Billion as Fresh Segment Grows Against a Declining Market

U.S. exports of potatoes and potato products totaled 2.99 million tonnes in fresh-weight equivalent worth $2.17 billion in the 2025/26 season (July 2025 – June 2026), according to U.S. Department of Commerce data. Overall volume fell 4.8% and value declined 6.3% year on year, with frozen products remaining the backbone of shipments at 1.38 million tonnes, or 46.3% of total volume. Against this broader contraction, the fresh segment stood out: fresh potato exports rose 14.9% in volume to 706,152 tonnes and 6.8% in value to $351.7 million, lifting the fresh share of total volume from 19.6% to 23.6%. Chips also gained, adding 8.4% in volume (193,916 tonnes) and 10.4% in value ($244.6 million). Mexico (671,567 tonnes), Canada (642,330 tonnes) and Japan (624,391 tonnes) remained the largest destinations, with Japan leading by value at $500.9 million; together the three markets accounted for more than half of total U.S. potato export value.

The shift underscores a structural divergence in the U.S. trade position: American suppliers are ceding share in the higher-value processed segment while recovering volume in the cheaper fresh category, a trend reflected in Idaho’s export performance, which grew 16% — markedly better than the national average. The same niche is being contested aggressively by European exporters, with EU shipments of processed potatoes to South America up 45.1% year on year in June, driven primarily by Brazil, Colombia and Chile. Meanwhile, the Americas absorbed 1.57 million tonnes (52.5% of volume) and the Asia-Pacific region 1.30 million tonnes (43.5%), while Central and Southwest Asia took 88,297 tonnes and Europe just 32,313 tonnes.