The potato originated in South America yet the region has the world's lowest level of potato production, less than 16 million tonnes in 2007.
The potato remains a traditional crop for small farmers in the Andean region, where it is cultivated along with potato species unknown elsewhere.
In other countries - Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia - production of Solanum tuberosum by large scale commercial growers is increasing.
Agricultural Statistics South America
| Potato Production in 2016 : | 15503000.00 | tonnes | Aggregated Data | ℹ |
| Potato Area Harvested in 2016 : | 911999.00 | ha | Aggregated Data | ℹ |
| Potato Yield in 2016 : | 169989.00 | hg/ha | Calculated data | ℹ |
| Sweet Potato Production in 2016 : | 1455080.00 | tonnes | Aggregated Data | ℹ |
| Sweet Potato Yield in 2016 : | 135799.00 | hg/ha | Calculated data | ℹ |
| Sweet Potato Area Harvested in 2016 : | 107149.00 | ha | Aggregated Data | ℹ |
| Potato Production in 2015 : | 15972000.00 | tonnes | Aggregated Data | ℹ |
Consumption Statistics South America
| Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) , Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2000: | 25.94 | kg/capita/year | ℹ | Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) |
| Sweet Potatoes , Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 2000: | 2.17 | kg/capita/year | ℹ | Sweet Potatoes |
| Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) , Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 1999: | 32.41 | kg/capita/year | ℹ | Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) |
| Sweet Potatoes , Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 1999: | 2.15 | kg/capita/year | ℹ | Sweet Potatoes |
| Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) , Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 1998: | 31.93 | kg/capita/year | ℹ | Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) |
| Sweet Potatoes , Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 1998: | 2.24 | kg/capita/year | ℹ | Sweet Potatoes |
| Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) , Consumption (Crop Equivalent) in 1997: | 31.47 | kg/capita/year | ℹ | Potatoes (Fresh and Processed) |
