Decrease in planted potato area compared with five year average

The total area of planted potatoes was 26,600 hectares in 2023. This represents a decline of six per cent, compared with the five year average, which was 28,400 hectares. This decline was due to decreases seen for both seed (a fall of five percent) and ware potatoes (a decrease of seven per cent). Seed potato area in 2023 was 11,700 hectares and ware potato area was 14,900 hectares.

Other parts of the United Kingdom also saw declines. Defra reported a 12 per cent decline in the area of potatoes planted in England in 2023 (Defra report on agricultural land use in England at 1 June 2023).

Information on potato planting area in this section has a gap in 2022 due to the survey being paused in 2022.

Figure 6: Area of total, ware and seed potatoes from 2013 to 2023