Canada’s Potato Output Dips Slightly in 2025 After Dry Season

Key Highlights

National output down 0.9% to 125.8 million hundredweight
PEI production falls 15.9%, New Brunswick down 4.7%
Seeded area rises 1.1% to the highest level since 2007
Alberta leads with 27.1% of national output

Canada’s potato harvest in 2025 slipped by 0.9% from the previous year, ending a run of four straight record crops. The country produced 125.8 million hundredweight as drought across Eastern Canada lowered yields, even though seeded and harvested area reached their highest levels in years.

Production trends across provinces

Prince Edward Island saw the sharpest drop, with production falling 15.9% to 21.8 million hundredweight. New Brunswick followed with a 4.7% decline to 16.2 million hundredweight. Both provinces struggled with dry conditions through the growing season, which pushed average yields downward.

Despite these setbacks in the east, Alberta held its place as Canada’s top potato-producing province. It contributed 27.1% of the national total. Manitoba ranked second at 21.4% and PEI, despite its decline, remained third at 17.3%.

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Seeded and harvested area on the rise

Seeded area climbed 1.1% from 2024 to 395,857 acres, the highest level since 2007. Alberta recorded the largest increase, up 6.9% to 81,760 acres, supported by expanding processing capacity in the province. Quebec posted a 7.7% rise, while PEI increased its seeded area by 2.3%.

Harvested area also grew. Producers managed to bring in 391,718 acres, up 2.1% from the previous year. Dry but stable weather across much of the country made harvest work easier, allowing farmers to collect 99.0% of all seeded acres.

Yields fall in the east but rise in the west

National average yield dropped 3.0% to 321.2 hundredweight per acre, mainly because of drought in Eastern Canada.
The largest yield declines were seen in:

Prince Edward Island: –17.8%
Nova Scotia: –10.7%
Quebec: –7.7%

In contrast, Western provinces saw better conditions. Alberta posted a 2.8% increase, reaching 423.5 hundredweight per acre, the highest in the country. Manitoba’s yield rose 5.4% to 381.8 and British Columbia’s jumped 10.8% to 365.2 hundredweight per acre.

These gains helped soften the national impact of drought, but not enough to offset losses in the east.

With drought shaping much of the 2025 season, Canada’s potato sector faced lower yields despite strong planting numbers. Farmers are now looking ahead to 2026 in hopes of steadier weather and a chance to return to growth.