Top Potato Producing Countries

Potatoes, native to the Andean region of South America, were first domesticated by indigenous peoples in present-day southern Peru and northwestern Bolivia over 7,000 years ago. After the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, potatoes were introduced to Europe, where they rapidly became a staple crop due to their adaptability and nutritional value, eventually spreading to Asia and Africa. Today, the top potato-producing countries are China, India, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States. China leads global production by a significant margin, followed by India, both of which have increased output due to population growth and the crop’s importance for food security. Russia and Ukraine have long traditions of potato cultivation, with the crop being a dietary staple, while the United States is known for both large-scale commercial production and breeding of new varieties. The global spread and adaptation of the potato have made it one of the world’s most important food crops, second only to rice and wheat in terms of human consumption.

Data from United Nations FAO Stat