Sweden

Potato cultivation in Sweden is widespread, with production concentrated in regions offering fertile soils and favorable climates. Southern Sweden, particularly Skåne, Blekinge, and Halland, supports early and maincrop production due to its long growing season, with Blekinge noted for starchy potatoes and potato flour.

The Central Swedish Lowland (Södermanland, Östergötland, Västmanland, Uppsala) is a traditional agricultural hub with a moderate climate and fertile soils. Western areas like Värmland and Klarälvdalen offer well-drained soils ideal for potato and root crop cultivation, while Northern Sweden, including Norrland and Lappland, supports cooler-climate-adapted varieties such as the almond potato (mandelpotatis), a regional delicacy.

Sweden grows potatoes on both large commercial farms and small family plots, underscoring the crop's cultural and economic importance. The country cultivates a diverse array of varieties: almond potatoes in the north; early varieties (nytpotatis) harvested in summer for their delicate taste and texture; and starchy and winter potatoes for flour production and storage. Sweden also preserves heritage cultivars like “White Kidney Potato,” “Red Hell’s Bells,” “Up-to-date,” and “Magnus Bonum,” reflecting its rich potato-growing legacy. According to FAO 2023 data, Sweden produced approximately 810,000 tonnes of potatoes.

Potatoes were first introduced to Sweden in the mid-1600s, cultivated as ornamental plants by botanist Olaus Rudbeck the Elder in the Uppsala Botanical Garden under the name Peruviansk nattskatta (“Peruvian nightshade”). Initially confined to botanical and aristocratic gardens, the tuber was met with public skepticism due to its association with poisonous nightshades.

In the 1700s, agricultural reformers like Jonas Alströmer promoted potato cultivation for food use, conducting large-scale trials from 1724 and publishing guides, while Eva Ekeblad’s 1746 discovery of potato-based flour and vodka proved vital during grain shortages and led to her historic admission to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The famines of 1771 to 1773 prompted government-backed adoption of potatoes as a reliable staple, especially among rural and working-class populations. By the 1800s, potatoes became central to Swedish diets and were widely used for nutrition, vodka production, and home gardening.

Iconic potato dishes like kroppkaka (dumplings), raggmunk (pancakes), palt, and hasselbackspotatis, invented in 1953, emerged, alongside northern specialties like mandelpotatis. The 20th century saw the rise of potato breeding programs at institutions like Svalöf, with production peaking at over 2.2 million tonnes during World War II. However, modern consumption has declined from 87 kg per capita in the 1960s to around 47 kg today, influenced by dietary shifts toward processed foods, rice, and pasta.