Why Manitoba could overtake P.E.I. as Canada's potato capital

Manitoba is digging into P.E.I.'s lead as Canada's potato capital.

More potatoes are being grown in Canadaand Manitoba is largely responsible for the increase, according to new numbers from Statistics Canada.

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The agency reported Friday, potato production in Canada is up 4.1 per cent in 2015,Manitoba alone accounts for 57.2 per cent of the increase.

"I think the potential is there for us to match P.E.I.'s total output," said Dan Sawatzky manager of the Keystone Potato Producers Association. He "would not rule out" Manitoba surpassing P.E.I in the future.

In 2015, P.E.I. represented 23.7 per cent of total Canadian potato production, Manitoba was close on its heels with 20.6 per cent.

Prince Edward Island prides itself on being Canada's king of spuds.The island is Canada's largest potato producer and the industry is worth more than a billion dollars, according to the Prince Edward Island Potato Board.

P.E.I.'s love affair with the tuber goes so deep, one Islander recently proposed to his girlfriend using potatoes.

The recent surge in Manitoba potato production has to do with how much the main potato processorsMcCain's, Simplot, and Cavendish contract out to farms. All three demandedfewer potatoes for 2013 and 2014 from Manitoba farms, but in 2015 all three demanded more.

Looking at the long-term trend, however,Sawatzky said, it's clear Manitoba is peeling its wayto catch up to PEI. The industry has grown substantially in the past20 years, he said.

"There was a major expansion in 1997 here with the McCain plant in Portage [and] Simplot built in 2003 a new plant McCains also purchased the Carberry plant from Nestl foods," said Sawatzky.

The potato industry in theeastisn't keeping up with thatpace, he said.

"Growth isn't continuing as much or as strong [in] the east McCain closed their P.E.I. plant last year," he said.

Canadian potato production is up overall in part because of the low Canadiandollar compared to the U.S. dollar, headded.