Recognize these Canadian-made potatoes?

Alternative Formats

Canadians might only recognize a few varieties of potatoes sold in grocery stores today. However, in Canada we have a wide diversity in potato crops.

  • AAFC's Potato Genebank in Fredericton maintains a collection of 120 varieties, including heritage varieties.
  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists have had a hand in developing 63 potato varieties.
  • The International Potato Center in Peru holds 7,500 different varieties of potato.

Like many crops, it's not a case of one-potato-fits all! Potato varieties are developed and grown for specific end uses and many have regional popularity and use.

  • Over 55% of potatoes grown in Canada are processed, mostly into French fries but also for chips and dehydration.
  • 45% of potatoes consumed in Canada are from the fresh market.
  • Canadians consumed about 65.6 kg per capita in 2005 - about the same amount as the combined total of all other fresh vegetables consumed.


Potatoes developed for fries:

Image of whole potato - large, oblong to long, russetted brown skin, cream coloured flesh
Alta Crown, 2007
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
French frying, boiling and baking.
Image of whole potato - oblong, russetted brown skin, white flesh
Alta Russet, 2003
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
French frying.
Image of potato cut in half length-wise - large, oblong to long, buff coloured netted skin, cream flesh
Glacier Fryer, 2008
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
French frying. Cold storage capacity, mid-season maturity.
Image of potato cut in half length-wise - oblong, buff coloured flaky skin, cream coloured flesh
Prospect, 2005
Privately developed by Joyce and Robert Coffin, PE
French frying. Mid-season maturity.
Image of potato cut in half length-wise - long, smooth to lightly netted buff skin, white flesh
Shepody, 1980
AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
French frying, boiling and baking. Mid-season maturity.
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Potatoes developed for chips:

Image of potato cut in half length-wise - oval to oblong, slightly flattened, buff coloured skin, white flesh
AC Novachip, 1993
AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
Chips. Mid-season maturity.
Image of a pile of potatoes with one cut in half length-wise - oval, smooth buff skin, cream coloured flesh
AC Ptarmigan, 1982
AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB and AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
Chips, boiling, and baking.
Image of potato cut in half length-wise
Du Mont 2008
AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
Chips. Mid-season maturity.
Image of three potatoes, one cut in half length-wise - oval, smooth white skin, white flesh
Northstar, 2006
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
Chips.
Image of potato cut in half length-wise - oval, uniform, smooth white skin, white flesh
AC Glacier Chip, 2000
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
Chips.
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Potatoes developed for fresh market:

Image of potato cut in half length-wise, round to oval, slightly blocky, smooth buff coloured skin, white flesh
AC Chaleur, 1993
AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
Boiling and baking. Early to mid-season maturity.
Image of a pile of potatoes with one cut in half length-wise, oval, smooth red skin, cream coloured flesh
AC Peregrine Red, 2000
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
General consumption.
Image of whole potato - oblong, russetted brown skin, white flesh
AC Stampede Russett, 1998
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
French frying and table consumption.
Image of three potatoes, one cut in half length-wise - round to oval, bright red skin, creamy white flesh
AC Red Island, 2000
AAFC Atlantic Cool Climate Crop Research Center, St. John's, NL
Boiling and baking. Mid-season maturity.
Image of three potatoes, one cut in half length-wise - oval, smooth light yellow skin, light yellow flesh
AC Sunbury, 2001
AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
Boiling and baking, light yellow flesh. Mid-season maturity.
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Image of potato cut in half length-wise - oval, semi-flattened, rarely oversized, smooth white skin, white flesh
Eramosa, 1988
AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB, University of Guelph and OMAFRA
Boiling and baking. Early season maturity.
Image of three potatoes, one cut in half length-wise - round, smooth light yellow skin, cream coloured flesh
Exploits, 2008
AAFC, Atlantic Cool Climate Research Centre, St John's, NL, AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB; CFIA, St. John's and NL DNR.
Boiling. Mid-season maturity.
Image of whole potato - oblong, brown russetted skin, white flesh
Pacific Russet, 2003
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
Boiling, baking and french frying.
Image of potato cut in half length-wise - oval, medium to large, flaky, buff-coloured skin, white at base of eyes, light yellow flesh
Sentinel,
AAFC Lethbridge Research Centre, AB
Dual purpose variety: chipping or yellow flesh. Fresh market. Mid-season maturity.
Image of three potatoes, one cut in half length-wise - round, smooth yellow skin, yellow flesh
Rochdale Gold-Dorée, 2005
AAFC Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, NB
Boiling and baking, light yellow flesh. Mid-season maturity.
Image of potato cut in half length-wise - oval, slightly flattened, finely flaked yellowish white skin, light yellow flesh
Yukon Gold, 1980
AAFC, University of Guelph and OMAFRA.
Boiling, baking, and french frying, light yellow flesh. Mid-season maturity.

For more information on registered potato varieties:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency - Plants

AAFC Research Activities

AAFC No. 10864E

Alternative Formats

Help with Alternative Formats

Recognize these Canadian-made potatoes? (PDF Version, 1.18 MB)