By Lukie Pieterse, Potato News Today
Consumption concentrated in a few key countries as intra-EU trade grows and value outpaces volume in the potato market.
IndexBox has released a new study titled Europe – Potato Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights, offering a detailed snapshot of the region’s potato market and a forecast through to 2035. The report tracks trends in consumption, production, trade and prices across key European countries, highlighting how shifting acreage, yield improvements and strong processing demand are reshaping the industry’s long-term trajectory.
The latest analysis points to only modest growth in physical volumes over the coming decade, but a more robust expansion in market value as prices trend upward. Below is a summary of the main findings from the IndexBox release.
Market outlook: slow volume growth, firmer values
According to the IndexBox report, Europe’s potato market in 2024 is estimated at around 100 million tons, with a value of approximately $32.3 billion. By 2035, volume is projected to edge up to 104 million tons, while market value is expected to reach about $38.1 billion.
This implies a compound annual growth rate of roughly +0.3 % in volume and +1.5 % in value over the period, underscoring how price dynamics are likely to be a primary driver of revenue growth.
Consumption concentrated in Eastern and Western Europe
Potato consumption remains heavily concentrated in a handful of large markets. Ukraine, Russia and Germany are identified as the leading consumers, jointly accounting for nearly half of total European use in 2024. A second tier of countries – Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, France, the UK, Belarus and Spain – represents a further third of the market.
Belgium stands out both for the strength of its growth trajectory and the intensity of consumption. It records the highest per capita use in Europe at 588 kg per person. Ukraine follows at 492 kg per capita, with Belarus at 418 kg, reflecting the enduring role of potatoes in local diets and food systems in these countries.
Production: less land, higher yields
European potato production in 2024 is put at around 99 million tons, essentially flat on the previous year but below the earlier peak of 124 million tons. IndexBox notes that the main driver of this decline over the last decade has been a reduction in harvested area, which has contracted from about 5.7 million hectares in 2013 to roughly 4.1 million hectares in 2024.
Improved yields have partially offset the loss of area. Average yields are reported at about 24 tons per hectare in 2024, higher than a decade ago. Ukraine, Russia and Germany together account for just over half of total European output, with France, the Netherlands, Poland, the UK, Belarus, Belgium and Denmark providing most of the remaining production.
Trade flows: Belgium, the Netherlands and France in key roles
Intra-European trade continues to be a defining feature of the market. Potato imports reached approximately 13 million tons in 2024, an increase of 9.4 % year on year and an average annual growth rate of 3.2 % since 2013. Belgium is the dominant importer, bringing in about 4.1 million tons. The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France and Portugal follow, and together these importers represent roughly three quarters of total volumes.
In value terms, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain account for about half of Europe’s total potato import bill.
On the export side, European shipments climbed to around 12 million tons in 2024, an 11 % increase compared with the previous year. France, the Netherlands and Germany are the leading exporters, jointly responsible for about 76 % of export volume. Belgium, Spain and the UK supply most of the balance.
Export values have risen faster than volumes, with total exports estimated at $5.3 billion and average export prices at around $453 per ton.
Prices on a rising trend
IndexBox reports that both import and export prices strengthened in 2024. Average import prices rose by 7.6 % to $415 per ton, while export prices increased by around 12 % to $453 per ton. These firmer prices, combined with limited scope for major area expansion and only modest volume growth, underpin the view that Europe’s potato market will see stronger value gains than volume increases through to 2035.
Prices varied noticeably by country of origin: amid the top suppliers, the country with the highest price was the UK ($931 per ton), while Germany ($323 per ton) was amongst the lowest.
From 2013 to 2024, the most notable rate of growth in terms of prices was attained by the UK (+3.6%), while the other leaders experienced more modest paces of growth.
Author: Lukie Pieterse, Potato News Today
Source: IndexBox. Full news release here