Potato flour, flakes, granules and pellets market in South America

Earlier Report Observations

The South American market for potato flour, flakes, granules, and pellets experienced a decline in volume from 39 584 tons in 2018 to 34 375 tons in 2020, followed by a recovery to 37 115 tons in 2021.

Market volume rose sharply to 41 084 tons in 2022, fueled by the entry of new companies into the potato flour industry and increasing consumer preference for potato flour as a gluten-free alternative for special diets. In 2023, the market stabilized at 40 793 tons, underpinned by growing demand for industrial-grade potato flour in paper and textile manufacturing, alongside the launch of innovative hybrid potato flour products that improve moisture retention in bakery applications.

During 2024, the sector focused on expanding production capacity by 25% to meet industrial needs, introducing advanced hybrid flour variants, and investing in sustainable technologies that cut water consumption by 30%, reflecting broader environmental trends.

Production potato flour, flakes, granules and pellets in South America

In kind, 2017-2020, t

Top producers of potato flour, flakes, granules and pellets, 2017-2020

World map of production of potato flour, flakes, granules and pellets, 2017-2020

South America's production of potato flour, flakes, granules, and pellets declined for the third consecutive year. In 2020, output remained nearly unchanged at 20,477 tonnes compared to the previous year. Over the 2017-2020 period, production fell by 24.3%, representing an average annual decline of 8.9%.

Annual dynamics of production in South America in kind, 2017-2020, t

Exports potato flour, flakes, granules and pellets from South America

Exports in kind, t

South America's exports of potato flour, flakes, granules, and pellets increased for the second year in a row. In 2020, shipments reached 955 tonnes, surging by 40.6% from 2019. Over the 2017-2020 period, exports grew by 10.4%, with an average annual increase of 3.3%. The lowest export volume was recorded in 2018 at 524 tonnes, which marked a significant decline of 39.4% from the previous year.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from South America in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, the main markets for South America's potato flour, flakes, granules, and pellets exports were Curaçao (21.8% of export volume), the United States (3.2%), and Japan (2.3%). Together, these three destinations accounted for 27.3% of total export flows.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from South America in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The market exhibited considerable volatility during this period. The highest export value was recorded in 2020 at 991,000 US dollars, while the lowest occurred in 2018 at 379,000 US dollars, creating a peak-to-trough ratio of 2.6 times. In 2020, export value increased by 50.1% from 2019. The largest decline was in 2018, falling by 60.3%, while the largest increase was in 2019, rising by 74.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from South America in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Between 2017 and 2020, the export partner landscape in value terms was diverse. Curaçao (27.1% of export value), the United States (6.5%), and Japan (6.0%) together represented only 39.6% of total flows, with the remaining 60.4% distributed among many other countries.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from South America in value, 2017-2020

Imports potato flour, flakes, granules and pellets to South America

Imports in kind, t

South America imported approximately 14,853 tonnes of potato flour, flakes, granules, and pellets in 2020, showing a moderate decline of 9.2% from the previous year. Over the 2017-2020 period, imports decreased by 19.4%, with an average annual reduction of 6.9%. The largest decline occurred in 2018, dropping by 13.0%, while the largest increase was in 2019, rising by 2.1%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to South America in kind, 2017-2020, t

From 2017 to 2020, Germany (33.7% of import volume), the Netherlands (20.9%), and Belgium (18.5%) were the principal suppliers of potato flour, flakes, granules, and pellets to South America. Collectively, these three countries accounted for 73.1% of total import volume.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to South America in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

South America imported 19,989,000 US dollars worth of potato flour, flakes, granules, and pellets in 2020, representing a drop of 19.6% from 2019. Between 2017 and 2020, import value decreased by 16.6%, equating to an average annual decline of 5.9%. The highest import value was recorded in 2019 at 24,852,000 US dollars, which also marked the largest increase of 15.5% from the previous year.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to South America in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Throughout 2017-2020, Germany (34.6% of import value), the Netherlands (21.0%), and Belgium (20.3%) remained the key sources for imports in value terms. Together, these three countries accounted for 75.9% of total import flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to South America in value, 2017-2020