Strong demand for New Zealand fries in Australia and Thailand mean that September exports were at their highest monthly total since May 2015. During the month 7,197 tonnes were shipped, up 27.8%, with a 12.1% increase in annual exports to 64 462 tonnes, the highest annual total since the end of 2014. The average price of New Zealand exports in September was NZ$1 360/tonne, up 3.7% on the September figure. A euro is worth NZ$1.69 and a US$ is NZ$1.46.
Exports to Australia were up 54.7% in September at 5 811 tonnes or 80.7% of the overall total. Annual sales to Australia were up 12.7% to 48 115 tonnes, 74.6% of the total. Prices rises over the last year in product exported to Australia have been limited at 4.9%.
Exports to Thailand and Japan have increased by 24.9% and 63.8% respectively to 4,607 tonnes and 2,826 tonnes, with a 112.5% increase in shipments to the Philippines to 2,737 tonnes.
New Zealand exports of fries and other HS 200410 products (tonnes, NZ$ million, NZ$/tonne)
| September | October-September: | |||||||
| 2017 | % change | 2016 | 2015 | 2016/17 | % change | 2015/16 | 2014/15 | |
| A.Tonnes | 7,197 | +27.8 | 5,631 | 4720 | 64,462 | +12.1 | 57,488 | 57,323 |
| Australia | 5,811 | +54.7 | 3,757 | 3733 | 48,115 | +12.7 | 42,678 | 45,982 |
| Thailand | 570 | +41.1 | 404 | 153 | 4,607 | +24.9 | 3,690 | 1,979 |
| Japan | 187 | +17.6 | 159 | 292 | 2,826 | +63.8 | 1,725 | 3,431 |
| Philippines | 289 | -17.9 | 352 | 0 | 2,737 | +112.5 | 1,288 | 1 |
| French Polynesia | 91 | -9.0 | 100 | 89 | 905 | -8.2 | 986 | 1,333 |
| Papua New Guinea | 34 | -69.4 | 111 | 70 | 899 | -33.4 | 1,350 | 832 |
| Indonesia | 105 | -16.7 | 126 | 126 | 798 | -11.6 | 903 | 1049 |
| B.NZ million | ||||||||
| Total | 9.786 | +32.5 | 7.387 | 6.029 | 87.543 | +16.4 | 75.217 | 71.972 |
| Australia | 7.426 | +61.5 | 4.598 | 4.424 | 61.476 | +18.3 | 51.984 | 54.712 |
| Thailand | 0.974 | +50.6 | 0.646 | 0.260 | 7.761 | +22.9 | 6.315 | 3.117 |
| Philippines | 0.499 | +0.1 | 0.499 | 0.000 | 4.349 | +120.8 | 1.970 | 0.001 |
| Japan | 0.283 | +16.5 | 0.243 | 0.467 | 4.335 | +54.2 | 2.811 | 5.282 |
| French Polynesia | 0.184 | -28.9 | 0.259 | 0.195 | 1.849 | -13.8 | 2.146 | 2.446 |
| Papua New Guinea | 0.077 | -54.1 | 0.168 | 0.110 | 1.417 | -26.2 | 1.920 | 1.260 |
| Indonesia | 0.146 | -15.7 | 0.173 | 0.180 | 1.114 | -13.2 | 1.284 | 1.273 |
| C.NZ/tonne | ||||||||
| Total | 1,360 | +3.7 | 1,312 | 1,277 | 1358 | +3.8 | 1,308 | 1,256 |
| French Polynesia | 2,023 | -21.8 | 2,588 | 2,187 | 2043 | -6.1 | 2,177 | 1,835 |
| Thailand | 1,708 | +6.8 | 1,600 | 1,696 | 1685 | -1.6 | 1,711 | 1,575 |
| Philippines | 1,728 | +21.9 | 1,418 | 1,589 | +3.9 | 1529 | 835 | |
| Papua New Guinea | 2,273 | +49.8 | 1,518 | 1,572 | 1577 | +10.8 | 1,422 | 1,514 |
| Japan | 1,516 | -1.0 | 1,531 | 1,600 | 1534 | -5.9 | 1,629 | 1,540 |
| Indonesia | 1,391 | +1.1 | 1,375 | 1,427 | 1397 | -1.8 | 1,422 | 1,214 |
| Australia | 1,278 | +4.4 | 1,224 | 1,185 | 1278 | +4.9 | 1,218 | 1,190 |
Reproduced with permission from World Potato Markets Issue 340.