Peru Leads Latin America in Potato Production By 2021

Peru's Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation (Midagri) recently reported that potato production last year was 5.7 million tons, with a total value of production (VBP) of 5.525 billion soles, creating more than 110,000 jobs for the country.

Peruvian newspaper Andes reported on May 30 that Midagri's data show that in 2021, Peru's potatoes will be planted on more than 330,000 hectares, with an average yield of 17.1 tons per hectare, leading the way in Latin America, surpassing countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Ecuador. Meanwhile, in the world, Peru ranks 16th in potato production, behind China, Belarus, Poland, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands.

By 2021, Peru has more than 710,000 potato farmers in 19 regions of the country, with the most productive regions including Puno, Huánuco, Cusco, Cajamarca and Huancavelica.

In 2021, Peru exported more than 5,630 tons of potato by-products, with an export value of more than US$ 8.075 million. Peru's local varieties of potato as raw material for the addition of products including vodka, medicinal alcohol and bakery products. Last year, Peru imported 25706 tons of potatoes, which originated in the Netherlands and Belgium, mainly for poultry farming.

In addition, from 2011 to 2021, the average annual potato consumption of Peruvian individuals increased from 76 kg to 92 kg