By Caroline Côté
Released: May 7, 2024
Planted area stable
In 2022, the area of potatoes planted in Québec was 18.4 thousand hectares (kha), similar to the area planted in 2021 (18.7 kha). On a regional level, the largest planted areas were observed in the combined administrative regions of Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches (4.7 kha) and Montréal, Laval and Lanaudière (3.8 kha).
Production and yield up
The area of potatoes harvested was 18.1 kha, down 2.1% (-0.38 kha) from 2021. Potato production totalled 647.6 thousand metric tonnes (kt), up 8.1 kt from 2021.
The potato yield was 35.9 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) in 2022, up 4.1% (+1.4 t/ha) from 2021. Potato yield has increased by 16.1% (+5.0 t/ha) since 2019.
Sales volume stable, revenues up
In 2022, nearly 606.5 kt of potatoes were sold outside the sector. This result is stable compared with 2021. However, the volume of sales outside the sector has been on an upward trend since 2018.
Revenues for potatoes sold outside the sector stood at $252.9 million, up 26.8% (+$53.5 million) from 2021. These revenues have been on the rise since 2018. Despite a decline in 2021, they have increased by 60.5% (+$95.3 million) over the past five years.
Preliminary results from the survey on the 2023 harvest
Preliminary data for the survey on the 2023 harvest show a planted area of 18.9 kha and a harvested area of 18.4 kha. Production is expected to reach 612.0 kt. According to this preliminary data, yield per hectare stands at 33.2 t/ha for 2023, down 7% (-2.5 t/ha) from the 2022 crop.
Final data on the 2023 crop will be collected in the summer of 2024 and are scheduled to be released on the ISQ’s website in the winter of 2025.
