France to reach 197,000 hectares by 2025, boosted by industry and exports

After an initial 7% increase in surface area last year, fields dedicated to ware potatoes (excluding early varieties) are expected to extend to " more than 197,000 hectares, marking a growth of 10.3% in 2025 ," according to a field study conducted by producers on behalf of the CNIPT. This new sharp increase is explained in particular by " the massive arrival of new farmers in production, particularly in the industrial segment ," according to a press release.

The world’s leading exporter and second largest European producer behind Germany, France produced 7.7 million tonnes of potatoes in 2024. Storage potatoes, eaten fresh or intended for industrial processing to make mash, chips or fries , make up almost all production. "Primeurs" or new potatoes (with thin skin, harvested before they are fully ripe) represent an average of 50,000 tonnes per year.

An industrial dynamic that attracts new producers

As last year, the increase in surface area is explained by growing European industrial demand, which has contributed to the arrival of new producers, from Île-de-France to Picardy. " The surface area has increased in a much more contained manner among historical producers " and " new producers are the vastmajority at the origin of this increase ," underlines the CNIPT. The most significant increases in surface area concern the Hauts-de-France region (+11,020 hectares) which " thus retains the leading position as a producer of ware potatoes with more than 60% of French surface area ."

Harvesting begins in July for the earliest varieties and continues until September for the latest. Approximately 45% of French production is exported, mainly to Spain, Italy, and Portugal for the fresh market, and to Belgium and the Netherlands for processing. French processing industries account for approximately 21% of production.