Alberta may be known mostly for its mountains, big steaks, and rodeos, but these days, it’s found itself a new claim to fame: potatoes.
Driving the news: Potato production in Alberta is now outpacing that of any other province, as high demand for Canadian spuds in Asia and the U.S. has pushed industry giants like McCain and Cavendish to expand their operations out west.
- Last year, Alberta saw a record harvest despite ongoing droughts, bringing in over 3.5 billion pounds of potatoes. That’s about 11 blue whales worth of taters.
- Cavendish has tripled its spud production in Alberta with its $430 million plant in Lethbridge, while McCain unveiled a $600 million plan last year to double production capacity at its plant in Southern Alberta.
Why it matters: With growing demand for Canadian potatoes abroad, major investments rolling in, and more young Albertans picking up spud farming, experts say that the industry’s outlook is quite promising.
Yes, but: Poor weather conditions are hurting yields in Canada’s former potato capital, P.E.I., and while Alberta is seen as a more ideal growing region, there are still concerns about the province’s water supply and future droughts.—LA