WASHINGTON, DC – Potato processors used more of the 2025 crop even as overall production and grower prices weakened, giving producers an important source of demand, according to USDA.
Total U.S. potato processing reached 286 million hundredweight, up 5% from 2024. Frozen french fries and other frozen products accounted for 173 million hundredweight, a 6% increase from the previous year.
Chip and shoestring production used 58.3 million hundredweight, also up 5%. Canning use jumped 40% to 2.66 million hundredweight, while dehydrated use slipped 1% to 42.1 million hundredweight.
The stronger processing totals came as growers sold 388 million hundredweight overall, down less than 1%. Table-stock sales rose 2% to 101 million hundredweight, while seed sales fell 8% and livestock-feed sales dropped 16%.
Processing demand helped absorb a larger share of a smaller crop, but it did not prevent weaker grower returns. USDA says the average potato price fell 90 cents to $10.80 per hundredweight and total sales value declined 9%.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Stronger french fry, chip and other processing demand provided an important outlet for the 2025 potato crop despite weaker grower prices.