b'U.S. Potato Exports Reached $2.1 Billion In 2022In2022,U.S.potatoexportsU.S.freshpotatosalesrose9%tofor potato chips. reachedarecord$2.1billionin$287million,howevershipment sales.Comparedto2021,volumevolume, including both table-stockThroughout the year, maintaining a sales declined -4.2% but were higherandchippingpotatoesforprocess- consistentsupplyofU.S.potato than2018and2020(freshweighting,decreasedby-9.7%.Canada,products was a significant challenge equivalent). The value of U.S. potatoMexico, Japan, and Taiwan were theforexports.Byyear-end,theU.S. exports rose across all potato typestopexportmarketsforU.S.freshpotatosupplystabilizedinsome (frozen, fresh, dehydrated, seed, andpotatoes. While fresh shipments toexportmarkets,includingSouth chips), resulting in an 11% increasemost markets decreased, expandingKorea and Myanmar. Despite infla-from the previous year. Global pricemarket access for U.S. fresh potatoestion-drivenpriceincreasesofU.S. hikes and inflation can be attributedbeyond Mexicos border region ledproducts,globaldemandforU.S. to this growth.to an increase in fresh shipments topotatoesremainedstrong. Mexico of nearly 10%.Importers,foodserviceoperators, DemandforU.S.potatoproductsand retailers in key markets reported remainedstrongthroughout2022,In2022,thevalueofdehydratedtheirpreferenceforU.S.potatoes showing that the slight decrease inpotatoesincreasedby1.1%,reach- over competitor products, and sev-exportvolumeresultedfromtheing$217.6millionfortheyear.eralbuyersreturnedtopurchasing tight supply. Over the year, the topHowever, the volume of U.S. dehy- U.S. potatoes when supply became exportmarketsforU.S.potatoesdrated potato shipments declined - available again. were Mexico, Canada, Japan, South3.2%.Canada,Mexico,Japan,and Korea,andthePhilippines,intheUnitedKingdomwerethetopFordetailsonU.S.potatoexports, descending order.marketsforU.S.dehydratedpota- seetheattacheddocument. toesin2022.DehydratedpotatoQuestionsonthetradefigures, ThevalueofU.S.frozenpotatoshipmentstoCanadaandtheUKinternationaltradeleads,and exportsroseby13.8%,reachingwere up from 2021, while shipmentsPotatoes USA international market-$1.34billion,whilevolumetoMexicoandJapandecreasedining programs should be directed to decreased -2.5% compared to [email protected]. The top destinations for U.S. frozen potatoes were Japan, Mexico, SouthAlthough representing smaller por- Trade Data Monitor compiles these Korea, and the Philippines. In 2022,tionsofU.S.potatoexports,thefigures. Potatoes USA accepts no lia-U.S.frozenshipmentvolumestoshipmentvolumeofseedpotatoesbilityforthecontentofthese JapanandSouthKoreaincreased,and finished chips in 2022 increasedreports or the consequences of any while shipments to Mexico and theby28.8%and2.2%,respectively,actions taken based on any informa-Philippines decreased slightly com- compared to 2021. The export valuetion contained herein.pared to 2021.in 2022 amounted to $16.3 million for seed potatoes and $211.6 million MAY/JUNE 2023 POTATO GROWER 27'