USA: Potato Exports Rise 11.6% in July to 6.40 Million Cwt, Fresh Shipments Up 31%
The new marketing year began with higher export volumes. Fresh potato shipments abroad grew by almost a third, while frozen fry exports rose more slowly, according to an industry newsletter.
The United States exported more potatoes in July 2026 than a year earlier. Exports of potatoes and potato products reached 6.40 million hundredweight (cwt) in July. That is 11.6% more than in July 2025. The figures come from the newsletter North American Potato Market News (NAPMN). The Michigan Potato Industry Commission published them in its market report on 16 September.
In the reported unit, 6.40 million cwt equals about 290,000 tonnes. One cwt is 100 pounds, or 45.36 kilograms.
Fresh potatoes lead the growth
Fresh potato exports grew fastest. They rose 31.1% to 1.62 million cwt, or about 73,500 tonnes. French fry exports grew more slowly. They rose 3.4% to 150.35 million pounds, or about 68,200 tonnes.
Weekdays. Unsubscribe in one click.
July is the first month of the 2026/27 marketing year for US potato exports. The previous marketing year, 2025/26, ended in June.
Mexico is the main fresh market
Mexico has become the largest market for US fresh potatoes. The marketing board Potatoes USA said on 9 September that fresh exports to Mexico reached 274,000 tonnes in 2025/26. This compares with 123,000 tonnes in 2021/22. Full access to the Mexican market began in May 2022. Before that, US fresh potatoes could only be shipped to a 26-kilometre border zone.
The July report does not break down fresh exports by country. So it is not clear how much of the July growth came from Mexico.
Why it matters
The start of the new season shows strong foreign demand for US fresh potatoes. This matters because the domestic market has plenty of potatoes, especially for chips. Exports help to absorb part of this supply.
The slower growth of French fry exports is also important. A rise of 3.4% keeps US fries on a positive path. However, it is much weaker than the growth of fresh exports. Monthly export data will show if this pattern continues through autumn.
Photo: Russet Burbank potatoes (illustrative). Ordercrazy / Wikimedia Commons, CC0
