Chile’s potato exports jump as domestic prices remain high

Chile’s potato exports increased sharply during the first five months of 2026, while imports declined slightly and domestic prices remained well above last year’s levels.

Potato exports reached USD 1.5 million FOB between January and May, up 57% from the same period of 2025. Export volume rose by 34%, from 379,000 kg to 507,000 kg, according to Chile’s Office of Agricultural Studies and Policies, ODEPA.

Non-frozen prepared potatoes, mainly snack products, led the export market. They accounted for 90% of total export value and 66% of volume. Shipments in this category increased by 66% in volume and 60% in value year on year.

Seed potatoes were the second-largest category. They represented 20% of exported volume and 8% of value. Export quantities were four times higher than in the first five months of 2025, while earnings increased by more than 200%.

Uruguay received 74% of Chile’s potato exports by value, followed by Peru with 10% and Brazil with 7%. Prepared potato products were mainly shipped to Uruguay and Peru. Seed potatoes went to Brazil and Uruguay, while fresh potatoes were exported to Argentina.

May alone produced USD 358,000 in potato export revenue from shipments of 159,000 kg. Compared with May 2025, volume increased by 115% and value by 79%.

Imports remain far above exports

Chile imported USD 71 million CIF worth of potato products between January and May 2026, down 5% year on year. Import volume declined by 1% to 52 million kg.

Frozen prepared potatoes remained the main imported product, representing 83% of total import value. Chile imported USD 59 million and 46 million kg of these products. Value fell by 8.5% and volume by 4% compared with the same period of 2025.

Belgium supplied 42% of imported frozen potato products by volume. Argentina accounted for 24%, the Netherlands for 18% and China for 8%.

In May, imports totalled USD 14 million and 10 million kg. Import value decreased by 9% from a year earlier, although volume increased by 3%. Frozen prepared potatoes accounted for 85% of the month’s import value and 88% of volume.

Wholesale prices ease but stay above 2025

The average wholesale potato price decreased by 2.1% in May compared with April, reaching CLP 9,890 for a 25 kg sack, including VAT. Despite the monthly decline, the price was 41% higher than in May 2025.

Consumer prices in open-air markets in the Santiago Metropolitan Region remained almost unchanged at CLP 700 per kg. This was 17.4% higher than a year earlier.

The average supermarket price increased by 3% during May, from CLP 1,508 to CLP 1,553 per kg. Prices were 2% higher than in May 2025. Online supermarket prices also reached CLP 1,553 per kg after increasing by 1.1% from April.

ODEPA said potato supply can fluctuate as the southern harvest ends and stored potatoes enter the market at different times. Higher fuel and transport costs can also place pressure on prices in major consumption areas, particularly the Metropolitan Region.

Planted area falls by 2%

Chile planted 38,553 hectares of potatoes in the 2025/26 season, down 2% from 39,486 hectares in the previous year.

Production extends from the Coquimbo Region in northern-central Chile to Los Lagos in the south. La Araucanía and Los Lagos remain the country’s main potato-growing regions.

ODEPA cautioned that the latest planted-area estimate comes from the new 2025 National Agricultural Survey. Changes in methodology mean the figures are not fully comparable with earlier historical data.

source and photo: odepa.gob.cl