Any drive or walk across Prince Edward Island during the spring, summer or fall reveals a landscape dotted with potato fields.

The potato fields are next to fields of barley, wheat, oats and forage crops like red clover and timothy. Easily seen are the many warehouses used to store, grade and package potatoes before shipment to market.

Although Prince Edward Island is small (total area 1.4 million acres), the Island annually produces more than 30 percent of the total Canadian potato crop. Potatoes are Prince Edward Island's primary cash crop, accounting for over half($201 million in 2006) of the total farm cash receipts. In 2006 Island potato producers grew 97,000 acres of potatoes. With an average yield of 300 cwt per acre, production in 2006 was approximately 28 million cwt.

The potato, transported to Spain from Peru in the sixteenth century, gradually became established in other European countries. Eventually, with wide spread European settlement the potato re-crossed the Atlantic to North America and Prince Edward Island.

The first record of potato production in Prince Edward Island comes from a 1771 report sent by the colonial governor to England. In the report, he describes the year's potato crop as a "phenomenal success." By 1790, Island farmers were exporting small quantities of potatoes to the neighbouring colonies of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. By the 1830's, considerable trade in potatoes existed between Prince Edward Island and the West Indies via local ports. Production and export of certified seed potatoes commenced 80 over years ago.

Today, the potato is the world's fourth largest food crop. One reason for this popularity is its high food value. The potato can produce more food energy and protein per hectare than any other food crop except sugar and soybeans. Potatoes are high in nutrients, low in fat content, and contain a good balance of the eight essential amino acids.

Potato varieties grown have changed over the years with new varieties developed as the demand for seed, table stock and processing potatoes changed. The most popular potato on PEI, the Russet Burbank, is for frozen french fries and as a baking potato. Other varieties grown include Shepody, Kennebec, Superior, Yukon Gold, Goldrush, Century Russet, and Chieftain. Currently more than 30 varieties of potatoes are grown to supply customers in North and South America, Europe, the mid-East and Africa. Potatoes are loaded on vessels at one of Prince Edward Island's four deep water ports for shipment overseas.

Prince Edward Island potatoes for domestic table consumption, go to markets in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes. Export markets for table stock are primarily to the United States, Algeria, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Uruguay and the Barbados.

The processing industry uses approximately 50 percent of the potatoes grown on Prince Edward Island. Most potatoes are processed into frozen potato products either by Cavendish Farms or McCain Foods. Frozen potato products made from PEI potatoes are available across the country and are also exported. Small Fry Snack Foods manufactures potato chips that they distribute in Eastern Canada. Agra West operates a potato granules plant in the Souris Food Park.

The basic seed for all potato varieties on Prince Edward Island originates from pathogen free plantlets grown in tissue culture. In the spring, plantlets are transplanted into greenhouses and/or screenhouses for growth in a protected environment. Progeny tubers from these plantlets then become the first generation of field-grown potatoes the following season.

Potato planting generally begins in May, although some areas may start in late April. Planting may not finish until early June, depending on soil and weather conditions. Harvesting takes place in the cooler weather of early fall and is generally underway by mid-September and finish before the end of October. Growers store their crops in modern temperature and humidity-controlled warehouses for grading, packaging and shipping during the winter months. Potatoes can be stored for up to ten months before being processed.

Crop rotation, the growing of different crops in sequence over several cropping seasons, is an essential component of sustainable potato production. The rotation crops break pest life-cycles, reduce pesticide use, allow for the control of weeds and help maintain and improve soil structure.

There is no one perfect crop rotation sequence for potato production. However, a common rotational scheme for potato production occurs over a three year period. The potato crop grown in year one is followed in year two by a spring cereal, usually barley. The barley can be used for livestock feed on the farm, or sold as a cash crop to livestock producers or feed mills. Barley straw may be spread on the field or baled and used as bedding material for cattle. In the third year, a forage crop usually a mixture of red clover and timothy (legume/grass mixture) is grown and harvested either as hay or silage for cattle feed. The forage mixture fixes atmospheric nitrogen in the soil for following crops and contributes to soil organic matter. Year four would see a return to potatoes.

Increasingly, potato growers harvesting early - to mid-season maturing varieties are establishing winter cover crops. The cover crops are planted and start to grow immediately after the potato harvest. The leaf material and root mass produced help in reducing the potential for rainfall and snow melt to cause soil erosion during the late fall, winter and spring.

Prince Edward Island enjoys the reputation as Canada's leading potato producing province. Producers are continually making improvements and striving to maintain and enhance the province's potato status by anticipating and meeting changing demands in world potato markets.

For more information on Prince Edward Island potatoes contact:

Client Information Centre
Agriculture Division
PEI Dept. of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Box 1600, Charlottetown
PE C1A 7N3
Phone (902) 368-4145 or
toll free 1-866-734-3276