Japan: Potatoes and Potato Products Annual
In 2013, Japanese potato production decreased by 3.5 percent to 2.41 million metric tons. Given this decreased availability of domestic potatoes and increased demand for potato chips, imports of fresh potatoes jumped by 28 percent. Imports of frozen potato products, particularly French fries, continued to be robust. A potential contraction in Japanese domestic potato production, expected to occur over the next decade, could present greater opportunities for imports, particularly U.S. potatoes, as they are highly valued in quality and price by Japanese users and consumers. Aggressive and strategic marketing activities by the U.S. potato industry have been instrumental in developing new demand in growth sectors.
