This commodity profile was rendered from
knowledge.domain = commodity, key = potato(GDF v2.0, 3771 attributes, 28 sections).Renderer:
commodity_profile_rendererv1.0.0. Source row version:knowledge_forge_gdf_v2.0_export_2026-04-06.
Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | Potato |
| Scientific name | Solanum tuberosum |
| Family / Genus | Solanaceae / Solanum |
| Produce category | Root Vegetable |
| Produce subcategory | Tuber |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| PLU — conventional | 4072 |
| PLU — organic | 94072 |
| AGROVOC URI | c_13551 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 4000.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Russet Burbank | 35% | Oblong shape, russet skin, white flesh. Excellent for baking and french fries. High starch content (20-22%), low sugar. Long dormancy period. Industry standard for processing. |
| Russet Norkotah | 15% | Smooth russet skin, shallow eyes, white flesh. Earlier maturity than Burbank. Good for fresh market and processing. More uniform shape, easier to harvest. |
| Yukon Gold | 12% | Yellow skin and flesh, smooth texture, buttery flavor. Medium starch content. Excellent for roasting, mashing, boiling. Thin skin, waxy texture. |
| Red Norland | 8% | Bright red skin, white flesh. Early season variety. Low starch, waxy texture. Ideal for boiling, roasting, potato salad. Thin skin. |
| Atlantic | 7% | Round to oblong, white skin and flesh. Bred specifically for chip processing. High solids, uniform fry color, low reducing sugars. High disease resistance. |
| Kennebec | 5% | Smooth buff skin, white flesh. All-purpose variety. Medium starch. Good for baking, boiling, frying. Late blight resistant. Long storage life. |
| Ranger Russet | 4.5% | Long russet type with netted skin. High yields, uniform tubers. Excellent for french fries and fresh market. Good storage characteristics. |
| Fingerling (mixed) | 2% | Small elongated shape (2-4 inches). Various skin/flesh colors (yellow, red, purple). Firm, waxy texture. Specialty/gourmet market. Includes Russian Banana, French Fingerling. |
| Purple Majesty | 1.5% | Deep purple skin and flesh. High antioxidant content. Retains color when cooked. Medium starch. Specialty market for color and health benefits. |
| Snowden | 2.5% | Large round white potato. High solids, low sugar. Excellent for chip processing. Good scab resistance. Smooth white skin, bright white flesh. |
| Umatilla Russet | 2% | Large russet with heavy netting. High specific gravity, excellent for baking and fries. Good storage. Similar to Burbank but earlier maturity. |
| Red La Soda | 1.5% | Deep red smooth skin, white flesh. Round shape. Medium to late season. Good for boiling and fresh market. Popular in southern states. |
| Katahdin | 1.5% | Round to oblong, smooth white skin. All-purpose variety. Medium starch. Disease resistant. Good for fresh market and processing. Historic variety still grown. |
| Shepody | 1.5% | Long russet type. High yields, good for french fries. Popular in Canada and northern US. Good processing qualities, high specific gravity. |
| Adirondack Blue | 0.5% | Deep blue-purple skin and flesh. High antioxidants. Specialty market. Medium starch, good for roasting and mashing. Color fades slightly when cooked. |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s04_varieties.variety_summaries.
Post-Harvest Handling
Temperature
- Chilling injury threshold: 35°F.
- Freezing point: 30.9°F. Hard limit.
- Handling urgency: 2 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | very_low |
| Production rate (20°C) | 0.15 μL/kg·hr typical (0.05–0.3) |
| Sensitivity class | moderate |
| Sensitivity threshold | 1 ppm |
| Climacteric? | No |
Agent note: Potatoes produce minimal ethylene but are moderately sensitive. Exposure accelerates sprouting and deterioration. Segregate from climacteric fruits.
Mixed-load compatibility
Group_8_Root_Vegetables
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? No
- Light-sensitive? Yes
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Steady overall with declining fresh consumption partially offset by strong processing demand (frozen fries, chips). Organic and specialty varieties showing stronger growth. Restaurant/foodservice recovery post-pandemic driving processing demand.
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.31 |
| Income elasticity | 0.15 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -0.85 |
Market share by variety
| Variety | Share |
|---|---|
| Russet | 65% |
| Red | 15% |
| White | 10% |
| Yellow/Gold | 6% |
| Specialty (Purple, Fingerling, etc.) | 4% |
Pack sizes
- 50 lb cartons/bags (foodservice standard)
- 10 lb bags (retail)
- 5 lb bags (retail)
- 3 lb bags (retail)
- 2 lb bags (retail)
- 1 lb bags (retail)
- 15 oz bags (specialty)
- 2000 lb totes (bulk/processing)
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
Rendered by commodity_profile_renderer v1.0.0 on 2026-05-15T22:30:00.000Z.