Potato Consumption by Country 2024 (2024)

Potatoes aren’t just common, familiar food staples in Western countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Their versatility and accessibility mean potatoes regularly grace dinner plates all over the world.

However, average potato consumption per capita also varies according to a variety of key population factors. Here are a few important examples to keep in mind.

Region-Specific Differences

Overall, the nations of Eastern Europe lead the world when it comes to average per capita potato consumption. Belarus is right at the top of the list with each Belarusian consuming around 170 kg of potatoes each year. Countries like Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Poland also demonstrate relatively high consumption at 100 kg per person or more.

These trends are likely connected to the humble, adaptable potato’s ability to grow well in a wide variety of regions and conditions, as well as cultural traditions that encourage high potato consumption.

Meanwhile, potato consumption tends to be lowest – only 20 kg per head or lower – in African countries and many parts of Asia. This disparity is likely due to a combination of culture-based preferences and climate-related factors.

Local Economic Factors

The local economy also plays a large role in phenomena like the consumption of certain foods, potatoes included. Nations where average incomes trend higher – like the United States and various European countries – often have better access to a wider variety of foods and typically eat potatoes at a rate of at least 70 kg per capita annually.

Conversely, poorer nations and regions with lower average incomes tend to default to cheaper food staples and choose potatoes less often.

Religious and Cultural Traditions

Religion, spiritual beliefs, and common cultural practices also typically affect per capita consumption of foods like potatoes. For example, countries with many citizens who practice Jainism (like India) may see lower potato consumption rates per capita on average, as strict Jains do not eat root vegetables.

Countries with cultural traditions that come attached to potato-heavy culinary preferences – such as Ireland, Peru, and the Netherlands – will naturally see higher per capita potato consumption rates. Potatoes also tend to thrive in agricultural conditions associated with these countries, making their efficient cultivation and distribution a lot easier.

As with that of other specific foods, a country’s potato intake can come with health implications for its population. Potatoes are nutritious and high in fiber. However, they are also frequently fried, processed, or otherwise prepared in less than healthful ways.

For this reason, it’s crucial to further analyze any connections between potato consumption and health-related trends (like obesity) to ensure a nation’s ongoing overall health.

Download Table Data

Country

Potato Consumption 2020 (megatons)

Potato Consumption per Capita 2020

Potato Consumption 2019 (megatons)

Potato Consumption per Capita 2019

Sweet Potato Consumption 2020 (megatons)

Sweet Potato Consumption per Capita 2020

Sweet Potato Consumption 2019 (megatons)

Sweet Potato Consumption per Capita 2019

Belarus1,611170.461,664176.050000
Ukraine5,511126.015,725130.140000
Kazakhstan2,018107.462,058110.940000
Kyrgyzstan684104.88772120.280000.01
Poland3,800100.413,77899.740.100
Bolivia1,16799.991,11396.6970.5670.57
Romania1,91699.591,91798.9810.0410.03
Netherlands1,60093.381,21671.1130.7480.5
Peru3,03792.13,00992.561765.332226.84
Bosnia and Herzegovina30191.8128485.9600.0200.02
Belgium1,03489.21,03389.54
Russia12,72087.1613,11189.881000
Uzbekistan2,88486.162,84086.12
Nepal2,506862,51487.880000
Latvia15783.46194101.9200.0500
Azerbaijan83382.1481781.30000
Lebanon50774.2542662.1820.3120.31
Canada2,57468.192,70672.33320.85250.67
Mongolia22267.8415748.570000
Colombia3,44567.72,91157.830000
Germany5,62267.15,58766.9
United Kingdom4,49666.234,11760.962,81847.182,74247.27
Denmark37364.4835862.050000
Algeria2,81464.182,80465.140000
Rwanda82363.5291972.81,08984.11,06584.33
Finland35063.2333560.520.4420.44
Lesotho13361.9913362.6600.0300.01
Estonia8261.867858.8500.100.08
Armenia18161.1219164.650000
Ireland30060.6834470.45
North Macedonia12660.5312660.6300.0200.01
Czech Republic63659.3667563.1500.0300.02
Portugal59658.4961660.250020.16
Spain2,73258.442,81660.260000
Sweden57356.7654053.7610.1310.12
Austria50556.0349755.530.2920.24
Chile1,05255.061,08057150.77170.9
Norway29854.926950.0220.4420.44
Bangladesh8,96454.438,25650.642271.382181.34
Slovakia28051.2825847.3110.2500.05
France3,32750.973,26250.08
Lithuania13950.9615355.480000
Greece51749.5559757.0400.0500.04
New Zealand23648.8721444.65102.08102.15
United States16,07548.5716,67750.681,1233.391,1833.59
China69,49947.2466,92345.6629,66420.1629,58920.19
Switzerland40546.8440847.5220.1910.14
Georgia18646.6317543.8500.0100.01
Albania13246.0313546.8700.0100.01
Slovenia9545.98038.25
Iran3,83145.612,75933.28
Moldova18245.218144.8200.0100
Australia1,14044.711,14845.54642.52642.52
Argentina2,01744.631,81040.411172.591142.56
Serbia38143.5737943.260000
Tajikistan39241.139642.50000
Croatia16439.8316138.9900.0200.03
Italy2,26437.442,23336.88130.22110.18
Morocco1,37837.341,50841.3460.1680.21
Kuwait15937.1215637.1910.1810.24
Barbados1036.41034.2726.3926.17
Malawi66034.563233.9366134.5765034.89
Hungary32433.537338.5110.120.18
South Africa1,92932.521,92932.94761.28751.28
Syria55631.853031.050000
Luxembourg2031.542032.0300.1600.11
Turkmenistan18931.2619633
Israel27031.2330135.370000
Montenegro1930.61726.8100.0500.04
Egypt3,04229.732,98929.772812.753573.56
Kenya1,58129.411,6823261711.4789116.95
Iceland1029.091131.6713.3213.87
Tunisia34228.9735630.41
Trinidad and Tobago4128.943927.6931.9810.65
Qatar8328.728128.7410.2710.23
Malta1328.411637.4100.2800.18
Uruguay9727.8210028.976318.036117.69
Guatemala49127.449728.270000
Libya17625.5617225.410000
Bulgaria17725.5516723.900.0600.03
India34,43124.9534,96725.591,0530.761,0270.75
Fiji2224.472326.07910.0299.66
Bhutan1924.111823.35
French Polynesia723.54828.12
Iraq81123.559117.530000
Oman12023.4711322.6410.1300.09
Ecuador40723.0928316.2850.2950.26
Bahrain3922.923923.6600.2300.23
Mauritius2922.762821.9800.3500.33
Afghanistan84021.571,00826.4900
Cape Verde1220.971222.4435.2535.55
Seychelles220.3221.450000
New Caledonia619.7517.7801.2801.08
Brazil4,17919.664,07619.313251.533091.46
Saudi Arabia66619.1458617.11110.3150.15
Jordan18418.0820320.1430.2520.22
Japan2,24317.732,45519.354413.494563.59
United Arab Emirates17517.6817417.8160.5840.46
Belize615.64615.9400.1500.1
Pakistan3,40115.43,35215.48130.06150.07
Mexico1,94715.11,89914.88410.32410.32
Malaysia48514.9846214.45310.97300.95
Guyana1214.951113.6255.7645.74
Eswatini1714.671714.821.821.81
Saint Kitts and Nevis114.65114.8302.0303.92
Cyprus1814.5191600.1700.13
Burundi17114.4116013.8883470.1680669.94
Djibouti1414.021514.990000
Namibia3513.973514.0810.210.27
North Korea35013.5735113.6641115.9442816.66
Venezuela38313.4836012.63180.62170.59
Tanzania79213.2676413.17
South Korea65412.7662912.292524.922895.63
Botswana3012.64229.7141.7931.4
Suriname712.63813.6800.500.71
Saint Lucia212.47213.3302.4202.21
El Salvador7711.88513.1210.1210.12
Costa Rica6011.86613.0800.0200.01
Cuba13111.5413211.6130226.6631227.5
Grenada111.1411216.7218.53
Macau710.61913.810.9511.31
Maldives610.31815.3300.3700.8
Dominican Republic11210.2911410.64454.1403.73
Panama4310.084410.4700.0200.01
Sri Lanka21510.0521810.24331.53261.22
Antigua and Barbuda19.89111.5200.6502.33
Angola3209.7433710.591,31239.921,25839.53
Dominica19.3819.3506.8617.26
Mozambique2919.322899.5247715.2545815.09
Mauritania408.64194.1691.8871.53
Mali1738.541728.7730915.2530515.51
Samoa28.3828.53
Nicaragua527.89517.770000.01
Bahamas37.7838.0312.4212.55
Myanmar4207.725179.57611.11631.16
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines17.7219.41111.81112.15
Ethiopia8867.78577.651,99317.341,91717.11
Cameroon1997.492138.2443916.5241816.17
Senegal1227.311167.09382.27372.27
Paraguay527.22415.77517.21486.8
Hong Kong526.95699.2530.3420.22
Jamaica216.94237.84515.193010.25
Yemen1936.481796.1400.0100.01
Nauru06.0709.5300.3400.23
Taiwan1295.41275.33903.77723.03
Madagascar1475.31565.7855319.9854420.18
Guinea705.29675.262231721516.81
Sudan2225.072475.762485.662385.57
Honduras484.83484.9720.200.01
Nigeria9314.529234.592,91014.122,86214.24
Zambia804.35472.620040.21
Indonesia1,1754.31,1654.31,3574.961,3845.11
Uganda1753.831703.831,11524.371,01722.98
Vietnam3523.613583.715025.165285.48
Thailand2473.542203.15120.17120.17
Niger833.44803.451174.851134.86
Philippines3503.22922.75174.724974.6
Haiti363.13433.82665.75504.44
Vanuatu12.7413.290000
Burkina Faso472.25452.22592.83602.97
Chad332.01342.1616610.1117510.97
Comoros11.6811.5377.5177.67
Sao Tome and Principe01.6601.620000
Gambia31.3831.3600.0400.07
Zimbabwe191.3140.96241.64241.66
Gabon31.2631.4341.6641.69
Kiribati01.0800.780000.06
DR Congo850.95901.035396.025266.07
Papua New Guinea70.7470.7859566.5359768.06
Laos50.6581.177510.297410.32
Ivory Coast120.47120.47491.87491.9
Togo30.430.4160.7270.86
Liberia20.3920.39224.41224.49
Benin40.3640.32483.94504.22
Sierra Leone20.320.2116520.6715219.39
Ghana50.1740.131123.611123.7
Cambodia30.1640.23392.34382.32
Solomon Islands00.1600.53105153.29105156.15
Central African Republic10.1410.160000
South Sudan10.0810.090000
Micronesia0000.03325.26325.47
Total252,292248,17155,42155,262

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Which country eats the most potatoes?

Belarus consumes the greatest volume of potatoes per person in the world. On average, each person in Belarus eats 170 kg of potatoes annually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Potato Consumption by Country 2024 (2024)

FAQs

Which country has the highest potato consumption? ›

Based on a comparison of 165 countries in 2021, Belarus ranked the highest in potato consumption per capita with 155 kg followed by Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan.

Is potato the most consumed food in the world? ›

The potato is the third most important food crop in the world after rice and wheat in terms of human consumption.

How many potatoes does the US consume? ›

The average American eats about 124 pounds of potatoes per year while Germans eat about twice as much.

What is eaten more, potatoes or rice? ›

Potatoes are the third most consumed food crop in the world, after rice and wheat. More than one billion people around the world eat potatoes and global production is over 300 million tonnes.

Where does the US get most of its potatoes? ›

The United States is amongst the top potato producers worldwide, and the states that produce the most potatoes in the country are Idaho, Washington, and Wisconsin. These states' hold in potato production results from their suitable climate, quality of soil, and well-established agricultural infrastructure.

Which country is No 1 in potato production? ›

Global potato production 2002-2022

China is the biggest producer of potatoes worldwide, with about one third of the world's potatoes produced in China and India.

What is the #1 most eaten food in the world? ›

Rice is the staple food of more than half the world's population, and it's been that way for centuries. It's cheap, it's filling, and it can be easily grown in a variety of climates. Rice is so important to so many people that it's no surprise that it's the world's most-eaten food.

What is the most eaten vegetable in the world? ›

To ensure that nutritious foods - like tomatoes - are available, affordable, desirable, and convenient, and especially for low-income populations. Tomatoes are the world's most popular vegetable.

Who is the #1 producer of potatoes in the US? ›

Idaho is termed as the largest producer of potatoes in the USA. The state, on average, produces around 134,850 centum weight (cwt) of potatoes every year.

Who buys the most potatoes in the US? ›

Because McDonald's buys more than 3.4 billion pounds of U.S. potatoes annually, it has the power to dictate whether a variety sprouts or winds up in the less-lucrative supermarket freezer's crinklecut bin — or worse yet, banished to become dehydrated taters.

How much money does the US make from potatoes? ›

The U.S. potato sector is vital to America's economic lifeblood, generating an estimated $100.9 billion in economic activity in 2021 alone. Our sector is responsible for supporting an estimated 714,000 domestic jobs and providing wages of $34.1 billion annually to those employed along our supply chain.

What's more unhealthy rice or potatoes? ›

Of rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread, potatoes are the healthiest of these starchy and complex carbohydrate foods. This is because potatoes are dense in nutrients, containing essential minerals, vitamins, and other micronutrients. Potatoes are also high in fiber, helping to satiate hunger and regulate blood sugar.

What is the staple food of the United States? ›

  • Beef (in the form of a steak)
  • Chicken (the most popular protein in the country and the most popular cuts of chicken are the breast and the wings)
  • Ground Beef (yes I know I said beef but ground beef is quite different. ...
  • Pork.
  • Fish (tilapia is the cheapest fish we can get and is moderately popular because of that.
Jan 11, 2014

Is bread or potatoes worse for diabetics? ›

Some evidence-based guidelines recommend consuming low glycemic index foods (whole grain bread, legumes, and basmati rice) in place of high glycemic foods (such as potatoes and watermelon) to manage glycemic control.

Which country buys the most potatoes? ›

Top importers of Potatoes, fresh or chilled in 2022

Belgium - 13.8% of the world imports ($676 million) USA - 8.46% ($413 million) Spain - 7.77% ($379 million) Netherlands - 6.9% ($337 million)

Which country has the best potatoes in the world? ›

The Central Ukraine region is known to yield some of the best country-side potatoes, which are further marketed across the world. Russia is a large producer of potatoes and is marked as one of the top producers compared to China and India.

What culture eats a lot of potatoes? ›

While different regions have different methods of preparation, potatoes are actually eaten far more commonly in China than you might think -- which is why the country produces roughly 94 million metric tons of them per year, as of 2021 (India checks in at around 54 million).

Who exports the most potatoes in the world? ›

This statistic shows the export value of fresh and chilled potatoes worldwide in 2022, by leading country. In that year, the Netherlands was ranked first with an annual potato export value of about approximately 964.5 million U.S. dollars.

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