Potatoes were first grown by settlers in New Brunswick, on Canada's Atlantic coast, as early as the mid-1600s. Today, Canada ranks as the world's 13th largest potato grower, with 2007 output of almost five million tonnes. The potato accounts for one third of all vegetable farm cash receipts, or $846 million in 2007, making it Canada's most important horticultural crop.



Since the early 1990s, Canadian potato production has expanded to meet international demand for frozen potato products. In 2006-07, Canada shipped 970 000 tonnes of frozen French fries to foreign markets, making it the second largest French fry exporter after the Netherlands. In the same period, it exported 120 000 tonnes of seed potatoes valued at $38 million (Canada is the fifth largest seed potato exporter in the world) and 470 000 tonnes of table potatoes worth $140 million.



Potatoes account for about 36 percent of all fresh and processed vegetables consumed in Canada. Despite the potato’s popularity, however, total consumption has declined from 76 kg per person in 1994 to 65 kg in 2007.



Potato Production in Canada Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM database, accessed September 15, 2018

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Seeded (acres) 341335 345263 346417 345817 347416 Harvested (acres) 336957 339901 341309 342218 .. Yield (cwt per harvested acres) 299.10 308.60 309.70 310.70 .. Production (cwt x 1,000) 100772 104907 105716 106311 .. Statistics Canada, CANSIM database, accessed September 15, 2018