Fried, frozen, scalloped, mashed, baked, you name  it—the humble potato is both nutritious and delicious.

Given that Alberta produced 1.2 million tonnes of potatoes last year, our licence plates could easily say Potato Country.

Alberta is, in fact, the second largest potato producer in Canada. At 22.5 per cent of total production in 2020, Alberta was a close second to Manitoba’s 23.0 per cent share. Tiny Prince Edward Island was in third spot at 20.1 per cent of Canada’s production.

Compared to a decade ago in 2010, Alberta’s potato production has increased by 65.7 per cent.

If we go back 40 years, it’s up by 460.9 per cent. Canada’s production increased by 90.7 per cent over the same period.

Alberta is number one when it comes to yield at 404 hundredweight of potatoes per harvested acre last year compared to a Canadian average of 293.

International exports of potato and potato products from Alberta last year came to 409.1 million. Export value has doubled since 2010 when $202.5 million worth of potato and potato products were exported. Most of our potato exports are shipped in frozen form at 87.4 per cent of the total.

The United States is our largest customer, purchasing 86.4 per cent of Alberta’s potato and potato product exports in 2020. 

Answer to the previous trivia question: Capital spending in 2021 by Alberta’s oil and gas extraction sector will be twice as much as the spending by Ontario’s manufacturing sector.

Today’s trivia question: Which country is the largest potato producer in the world?