TRADE AND MARKETING A bright future for fresh and processed potatoes fresh ones in the USA. Now the average US consumption of processed frozen potatoes is around 26 kilograms a head a year compared to 19.5 kg for fresh, 7.7 kg for chips (or crisps) and 6.35 kg for dehydrated products. It is similar in European markets with processed product overtaking fresh potatoes nearly 20 years ago in the United Kingdom. The emergence of processed potato product has allowed much wider trade in potatoes across the world. Trade figures show that the export of potato products grew by 34% between 2006 and 2014 to 7.942 million tonnes, while the growth in fresh or ware exports was less than half that to 9.1 million tonnes. Although ware exports still outweigh product shipments in tonnage terms, it has to be remembered that in fresh potato weight the product tonnage is considerably higher as it takes two tonnes of potatoes to make a tonne of fries and ten tonnes of potatoes to make a tonne of potato chips. The increase in the trade of potato products has been even more marked when measured in value terms. In 2014 the value of ware exports was €2.1 billion, up 31% from €1.6 billion in 2006, but the value of product exports had soared by 60% to €7.0 billion. Global trade World fry exports are dominated by four countries: Belgium, Netherlands, Canada and US, with Belgium and the US seeing the biggest gains over the years. Belgium actually exports more fries than it produces relying on imports that are then re-exported to satisfy demand. Fry output in Belgium has increased by 650% since 1990 to more than 1.5 million tonnes, while current Belgian fry exports are 1.9 million tonnes. The export of fries has been driven by a taste for the product among an increasing world population. Exposure to different ways of eating has also helped push the demand for potato products. Countries in South America, Asia as well as Australia and Russia have driven the increase in demand for fries over the past decade. It can be expected that as the populations of countries around the world continue to grow and wealth increases that the demand for processed product will grow. 34 Potato World 2015 • number 4 Pagina 33

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