Potato production in France
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In 2009 the potato production in France covered an area of 164,000 hectares and produced 7.2 million tonnes, making it the world's tenth largest potato producer. The average yield was 43.8 tonnes per hectare. Potatoes account for a modest 0.9% of arable land[1] in France (including French overseas departments), compared with 51.5% for cereals and 2% for industrial beet. Some 25,000 farmers are involved.
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Pommes_de_terre_France_2009_structure_en_tonnage.png/320px-Pommes_de_terre_France_2009_structure_en_tonnage.png)
Since 1960 French potato production has fallen sharply, when it reached an all-time high of 14 million tonnes. At the same time, average yields have almost tripled.
This trend in production reflects that of consumption, which has declined in parallel, notably due to the potato's poor nutritional image. The consumption, estimated in 2007 at 65 kg per inhabitant per year,[2] has also evolved, with fresh potatoes now accounting for only two-thirds of average consumption, the remainder being used in processed products, in particular frozen French fries, consumption of which has grown largely with the expansion of fast-food chains.
In the European Union, France, with 11% of the Community total, is the fourth largest potato producer behind Germany (10.7 Mt) and Poland (10.5 Mt), at roughly the same level as the Netherlands, and ahead of the United Kingdom. It is also Europe's third-largest exporter, behind the Netherlands and Germany, with 3 Mt, three-quarters of which are fresh potatoes[3] exported mainly to Spain, Italy, Portugal and Belgium. Imports total 1.6 Mt, three-quarters of which are processed products.
The main production regions are located in the northern half of the country: Nord-Pas-de-Calais (38% of the French total), Picardie (23%), Champagne-Ardenne and Haute-Normandie. Most processing plants and starch factories are located in these regions.