From Mao to McDonald’s: Emerging Markets for Potatoes and Potato Products in China 1961–2007

China is not only the world’s largest producer of potatoes, but also its largest consumer. This article uses a value chain framework, FAO times-series data and a review of the literature to estimate and then interpret growth rates for the different uses of potatoes in China over the last five decades. It singles out changes in government policy, production, per capita incomes, and consumer tastes and preferences to explain the rise in consumption of potatoes as food and the decline in their use as feed. The paper also notes the negligible importance of imports as a percentage of the total volume of potatoes consumed and the emerging influence of various private sector initiatives before reassessing past projections of future utilization levels. It concludes by highlighting opportunities for industry and identifying some key topics for future research.