Editing Potato (section)

== Production ==
{{main|Potato processing industry|List of countries by potato production}}

In 2023, world production of potatoes was 383 million [[tonne]]s, led by China with 25% of the total and India as a major secondary producer (table).
[[File:Potato production, 2022.png|thumb|Global potato production, 2022]]

The world dedicated {{convert |18.6 |e6ha |e6acre |abbr=off}} to potato cultivation in 2010; the world average yield was {{convert |17.4 |t/ha |ST/acre |abbr=off}}. The United States was the most productive country, with a nationwide average yield of {{convert |44.3 |t/ha |ST/acre |abbr=off}}.<ref name="yield2010">{{cite web |year=2011 |title=FAOSTAT: Production-Crops, 2010 data |url=http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567#ancor |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130114151638/http://faostat.fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567 |archive-date=14 January 2013 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref>

New Zealand farmers have demonstrated some of the best commercial yields in the world, ranging between 60 and 80 tonnes per hectare, some reporting yields of 88 tonnes of potatoes per hectare.<ref>{{cite web |author=Sarah Sinton |year=2011 |title=There's yet more gold in them thar "hills"! |url=http://maxa.maf.govt.nz/sff/about-projects/search/05-157/grower-article.htm |publisher=Grower Magazine, The Government of New Zealand}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |year=2009 |title=Phosphate and potatoes |url=http://www.ballance.co.nz/technical+expertise/horticulture/phosphate+and+potatoes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301060943/http://www.ballance.co.nz/technical+expertise/horticulture/phosphate+and+potatoes |archive-date=1 March 2012 |access-date=19 February 2012 |publisher=Ballance}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |year=2008 |title=International Year of the Potato: 2008, Asia and Oceania |url=http://www.potato2008.org/en/world/asia.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622203024/http://www.potato2008.org/en/world/asia.html |archive-date=22 June 2012 |access-date=19 February 2012 |publisher=Potato World}}</ref>

There is a big gap among various countries between high and low yields, even with the same variety of potato. Average potato yields in developed economies ranges between {{Convert |38 and 44 |MT/ha}}. China and India accounted for over a third of world's production in 2010, and had yields of {{convert |14.7 and 19.9 |MT/ha}} respectively.<ref name="yield2010" /> The yield gap between farms in developing economies and developed economies represents an opportunity loss of over {{Convert |400 |e6MT |e6ST e6LT |abbr=off}} of potato, or an amount greater than 2010 world potato production. Potato crop yields are determined by factors such as the crop breed, seed age and quality, crop management practices and the plant environment. Improvements in one or more of these yield determinants, and a closure of the yield gap, could be a major boost to food supply and farmer incomes in the developing world.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/i0200e/I0200E10.htm |title=Workshop to Commemorate the International Year of the Potato |publisher=The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |year=2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Foley, Ramankutty |display-authors=etal |date=12 October 2011 |title=Solutions for a cultivated planet |url=http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6xw5g085 |journal=[[Nature (journal) |Nature]] |volume=478 |issue=7369 |pages=337–42 |bibcode=2011Natur.478..337F |doi=10.1038/nature10452 |pmid=21993620 |s2cid=4346486}}</ref> The [[food energy]] yield of potatoes—about {{convert |9.2 |e6kcal/acre |GJ/ha |abbr=off |order=flip}}—is higher than that of maize ({{convert |7.5 |e6kcal/acre |GJ/ha |abbr=unit |disp=or |order=flip}}), rice ({{convert |7.4 |e6kcal/acre |GJ/ha |abbr=unit |disp=or |order=flip}}), wheat ({{convert |3 |e6kcal/acre |GJ/ha |abbr=unit |disp=or |order=flip}}), or [[soybeans]] ({{convert |2.8 |e6kcal/acre |GJ/ha |abbr=unit |disp=or |order=flip}}).<ref name="Ensminger">{{cite book |last1=Ensminger |first1=Audrey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XMA9gYIj-C4C&pg=PA1104 |title=Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia |last2=Ensminger |first2=M.E. |last3=Konlande |first3=James E. |publisher=CTC Press |year=1994 |isbn=978-0-8493-8981-8 |page=1104}}</ref>