Paraguai: Itapúa Sur espera colher 660 toneladas de batatas Spunta de 55 hectares.

Smallholder-driven estimate covers 387 growers and projects gross revenue of PYG 3.3 billion

Paraguay’s southern Itapúa department is forecasting a 2026 potato harvest of around 660 tonnes of Spunta from 55 hectares, according to the country’s agriculture ministry. The estimate covers 387 growers served by the Itapúa Sur Agricultural Development Centre (CDA) and puts gross revenue at 3.3 billion Paraguayan guaraní (PYG). The figures come from a technical report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), prepared through its Directorate of Agricultural Extension (DEAg), which also notes that the government had earlier supplied 60 tonnes of certified seed.

O que os números implicam

The report covers four crops in Itapúa Sur: onions, watermelon, potatoes and garlic, together on 814 hectares and expected to generate more than PYG 20.8 billion. Potatoes account for roughly 7% of that area but around 16% of projected revenue (our calculation).

From the headline figures, we calculate:

• Yield of about 12 t/ha. This is derived from the projections, not a harvest result.
• A price of PYG 5,000/kg (PYG 3.3 billion over 660 tonnes). This is gross revenue before production and marketing costs.
• Very small holdings. On average, each grower accounts for about 0.14 ha (roughly 1,400 m²), 1.7 tonnes of potatoes and around PYG 8.5 million in gross revenue.

That profile is typical of Paraguay’s family farming sector, where MAG works with small producers mainly through seed supply and technical support.

Price in line with recent trade

The implied PYG 5,000/kg matches a recent transaction in the department: in late October, the Oñondivepa association of agroecological committees in San Ramón sold 10.1 tonnes of potatoes to Asunción’s wholesale market for PYG 50.5 million. For comparison, imported potatoes from Argentina and Brazil retailed at PYG 5,000–8,000/kg in 2025.

Average yields, below earlier expectations

A yield of around 12 t/ha is in line with the national average of 10–12 t/ha reported in 2025 and well short of the 20 t/ha that Paraguayan officials have set as a goal for the sector. Earlier regional estimates from MAG were higher: 900,000 to 1 million kg from 51 hectares and more than 300 growers, equivalent to 18–20 t/ha. The new forecast is 27–34% lower than those estimates; the sources do not explain why.

Small in national terms

Paraguay relies heavily on imports, chiefly from Argentina, which also supplies almost all of the country’s seed potatoes. MAG has put annual national demand at 43,000 tonnes, so the Itapúa Sur forecast equals about 1.5% of yearly consumption, or five to six days’ supply (our calculation).

The season is also marked by seed shortages elsewhere. In Paraguarí, the country’s main potato-growing department, more than 400 growers were reported to have been left without MAG seed, and planted area there is expected to fall.

Advertências

• The figures are an estimate for the season, not a final harvest result; actual volumes will depend on yields and market conditions.
• Revenue is gross and excludes costs.
• Seed supply remains dependent on imports from Argentina.

Fontes

• Argenpapa, 4 November 2026: https://www.argenpapa.com.ar/noticia/18055-la-estimacion-para-la-campana-2026-involucra-a-387-productores-y-preve-ingresos-brutos-por-3-300-millones-de-guaranies-el-gobierno-aporto-60-tonelada
• La Tribuna, 3 November 2026 (MAG/DEAg report): https://www.latribuna.com.py/nacionales/locales/2026/11/03/cuatro-rubros-agricolas-consolidan-la-produccion-de-itapua/
• 1000 Noticias, 31 October 2026: https://1000noticias.com.py/2026/10/31/productores-de-itapua-logran-millonaria-venta-de-papa/
• Itapúa Noticias: https://itapuanoticias.tv/itapua-apunta-a-cosechar-un-millon-de-kilos-de-papa/
• La Nación, 9 June 2025: https://www.lanacion.com.py/negocios/2025/06/09/superficie-de-cultivo-de-papa-se-expandio-80/
• Argenpapa, 29 July 2025: https://www.argenpapa.com.ar/noticia/16241-paraguay-potatoes-are-among-the-top-four-vegetables-in-the-basic-food-basket
• Argenpapa, 28 June 2025: https://www.argenpapa.com.ar/noticia/16085-paraguay-paraguari-the-birthplace-of-the-national-potato
• InfoNegocios: https://infonegocios.com.py/amp/infoagro/de-12-000-a-20-000-kilos-por-hectarea-el-salto-productivo-que-quieren-lograr-con-la-papa
• ABC Color, 30 July 2026: https://www.abc.com.py/tv/abc-rural/2026/07/30/recorte-del-mag-mas-de-400-productores-de-papa-quedan-sin-semillas-en-paraguari/