Amid potato protests, Hokkaido has its best spud harvest in years
Tater lovers, rejoice — supermarkets across the country will soon be awash in superior potatoes thanks to favorable weather in Hokkaido.
Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture, has experienced its best potato harvest in years despite recent protests. Neighbors have been gifting unusually perfect potatoes, a welcome change from the poor quality and low quantity produced in recent years. The 2026 potato harvest may be one of the highest in a decade, benefiting snack food manufacturers and home cooks who rely on supermarket availability.
Last autumn saw high temperatures and inconsistent rainfall, causing a sharp decline in both harvest volume and potato quality. Unpredictable weather, similar to the typhoons in 2017, prompted potato chip manufacturer Calbee to develop contingency plans. They diversified their sourcing to include Tohoku and northern Kyushu in case Hokkaido crops were insufficient.
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Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
