# Potatoes

The world's leading root crop: bulky, perishable and mostly eaten near where it grows, yet once the star of New York futures.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/

Fruit, roots & pulses · No. 115

- Not on a critical list
- HHI 940 · unconcentrated
 Fruit, roots & pulses · Foundation · Matter

This humble, mostly-water tuber was once the mainstay of New York's futures exchange, and in 1976 caused a record default.

Chart: Illustration: Potatoes

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Potatoes grow from certified seed tubers in cool, loose soils, yielding more food per hectare than most cereals; the world grew about 390 million tonnes in 2024.

##### Three things to know

1. World potato output climbed from 267 million tonnes in 1990 to about 390 million in 2024, with China and India growing nearly two-fifths.
2. Potatoes are 78-80% water, so they are costly to ship; only about $6.2 billion of fresh potatoes crossed borders in 2023.
3. For fries and crisps, high dry matter and low sugars matter most, giving crisp, light-coloured products and less acrylamide.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Seed tubers**Certified tubers planted, not true seed
2. 2 **Cool fields**Loose fertile soil, high yields per hectare
3. 3 **Harvest and curing**Tubers lifted and skins toughened
4. 4 **Storage**Ventilated or chilled stores for months
5. 5 **End use**Table, fries, crisps or starch
 Covered in [Bioplastics: PLA, PHA, bio-PE and starch blendsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/bioplastics-pla-pha-biope-starch/)[Earth's energy flows: sun, wind, water, heat and lifeEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/earths-energy-flows/)[Muscles, wood, water and wind: energy before fossil fuelsEnergy](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/energy/energy-before-fossil-fuels/)

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/correlation/index.md)
- [Extraction](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/extraction/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/production/index.md)
- [Stocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/stocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/movement/index.md)
- [Criticality](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/criticality/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/potatoes/links/index.md)