The overall value of EU processed potato production reached EUR10bn in 2014, or 1.2 % of the value of production of the whole European food and beverage industry, according to research by Eurostat. With shares of 44.0 % and 38.8 %, frozen chips and crisps were the most important products in terms of value of production.
The EU was a net exporter of processed potatoes, with imports representing a mere 1.9 % of the value of its own output. On average, the value of exports represented 12.6 % of the value of production, although this includes figures of 39.9 % in the case of potato starch and 30.8 % for dried potatoes (flour, meal flakes, granules and pellets)
Potato processing took place mainly in five countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. Italy was the leading country for frozen potatoes (uncooked or cooked by steaming or in boiling water), with a share of 63 % in value terms, while Germany was most active in producing dried potatoes (65.9% in value); the Netherlands (43.6 %) and Belgium (21.4 %) were the leading producers of frozen chips, while the United Kingdom registered the largest value share of crisp production (20.9%) followed by Germany (18.3%).
