Potato prices 2026: smallest harvest, from CHF 1.10 a kilo

Potatoes in Switzerland cost CHF 1.10 to CHF 4.95 per kilo in shops for potatoes without an organic label; at 333'000 tonnes, the 2026 harvest is the smallest on record (swisspatat, 3 September 2026). The cheapest in the Eini price data of 23 September 2026 was the bag of Ünique potatoes at Coop at CHF 1.10 per kilo; the 5 kg bags from Migros and Lidl cost CHF 1.12 per kilo (Migros 24 September, Lidl 9 October 2026).

With Eini you plan the week's meals around the real promotions of the shops and get the shopping list with it.

As of 10 October 2026. Prices recorded on 23 September (Coop, Denner), 24 September (Migros) and 9 October 2026 (Lidl).

Sources: swisspatat, 3 September 2026; shelf prices from the Eini price data, regular prices without promotions.

Why is the 2026 potato harvest so small?

At 333'000 tonnes, the 2026 potato harvest is the lowest on record, the industry organisation swisspatat reported on 3 September 2026 (swisspatat, 3 September 2026). The 2020 to 2025 average was around 411'000 tonnes. The experts name the hot summer and long dry spells as the cause.

The yield was 29.4 tonnes per hectare, compared with an average of 37.9 tonnes in 2020 to 2025. The last time the yield was lower was in 1965, at 23.1 tonnes per hectare. The tubers are smaller than in other years, but according to swisspatat the quality is good. Around 50% of the fields were irrigated; there the yield was on average 55% higher.

The result: around 130'000 tonnes are missing and have to be imported. The self-sufficiency rate in 2026 is about 70 to 75%, compared with an average of 85% in other years. swisspatat does not expect a shortage for consumers, but potatoes could become more expensive and come from abroad more often.

Will potatoes get more expensive in 2026?

The first price to rise is the one paid to farmers: from 1 September 2026 the reference price for waxy table potatoes rises to CHF 62.15 per 100 kg, CHF 9.20 more than the previous year (swisspatat, 31 August 2026). That is 17.4% more (Eini calculation). Floury table potatoes have a reference price of CHF 57.85, organic table potatoes CHF 106.15 per 100 kg (CHF 14.00 more).

The reference price is the price for producers, not the shop price. Per kilo that is CHF 0.62 for waxy potatoes; in the shop a kilo of waxy potatoes in the 2.5 kg bag costs CHF 1.50 at Migros. Whether, and by how much, shops raise their shelf prices, we cannot yet say with our data: we have a snapshot of shelf prices from 23 and 24 September 2026 (Lidl: 9 October), but no comparison with autumn 2025. How we collect prices is explained on the page Data and method.

How much does a kilo of potatoes cost?

A kilo of potatoes costs between CHF 1.10 and CHF 4.95 in shops if you do not buy organic; the pack size matters most. In the Eini price data, waxy potatoes at Migros cost CHF 1.90 in the 1 kg bag, CHF 1.50 per kilo in the 2.5 kg bag and CHF 1.12 per kilo in the 5 kg bag (regular prices, recorded on 24 September 2026). Speciality products cost more: the Primagusto raclette mix at Coop CHF 4.95 per kilo, baby potatoes up to CHF 4.92.

At Aldi we found no fresh potatoes in the data set of 23 September 2026, only processed products such as chips (French fries) and potato salad. More on comparing prices per kilo in the guide Comparing food prices.

Waxy, floury or raclette: what does each type cost?

At Migros, waxy and floury potatoes cost the same in the 2.5 kg bag, CHF 1.50 per kilo, and at Coop both cost CHF 1.64. Raclette potatoes start at CHF 1.76 per kilo in the 2.5 kg bag at Coop. Waxy potatoes do not fall apart even when cooked for longer and suit salad, boiled potatoes and jacket potatoes (Gschwellti); floury potatoes burst open and are good for mashed potatoes, gratin and gnocchi (swisspatat, potato facts).

You will find similar comparisons for other filling side dishes in the post cheapest carbohydrates, and for carrots, celeriac and beetroot in root vegetables in autumn.

What do organic potatoes cost?

Organic potatoes cost from CHF 2.85 per kilo at Coop, Migros and Lidl, 1.5 times as much as a kilo without a label in the 1 kg bag at Migros (CHF 1.90). Small organic packs such as baby potatoes cost up to CHF 5.60 per kilo. We did not record any organic potatoes at Denner.

Is a 5 kg bag of potatoes worth it?

A 5 kg bag is worth it if you eat the potatoes within a few weeks and can store them somewhere cool: at Migros a kilo costs 41% less in the bag than in the 1 kg bag. The bags of 4 kg and more cost between CHF 1.12 and CHF 1.13 per kilo at Migros, Denner and Lidl. We did not record a 5 kg bag at Coop.

Potatoes are best stored dark, dry and at 6 to 10 °C. Above 10 °C they sprout and shrivel, below 4 °C starch turns into sugar. Green patches contain solanine and should be cut away generously (swisspatat, potato facts). If you do not have a cool cellar, you are better off buying smaller quantities.

Worked examples: what potatoes cost per year

The profiles are examples with assumed quantities, not real people. The calculation uses Migros regular prices of 24 September 2026.

Three cheap potato dishes under CHF 1 per portion

With potatoes from the 5 kg bag, a portion of baked potatoes with cheese costs around CHF 0.59, a potato soup CHF 0.83 and Rösti with fried egg CHF 0.74 (Migros regular prices, 24 September 2026, Eini calculation). Only the quantities used are counted, not salt and spices.

You will find more dishes with seasonal vegetables in cabbage in October and in the weekly plan for families.

Tips: how to buy potatoes cheaply

1. Buy bigger if you can store them. At Migros the 5 kg bag of waxy potatoes costs CHF 1.12 instead of CHF 1.90 per kilo in the 1 kg bag.
2. Go for Ünique, Prix Garantie and M-Budget. These lines cost CHF 1.10 to CHF 1.12 per kilo.
3. Choose the type for the dish, not for the price. At Migros, waxy and floury both cost CHF 1.50 per kilo in the 2.5 kg bag.
4. Keep baby potatoes for special dishes. They cost up to CHF 4.92 per kilo, more than four times as much as the cheapest kilo.
5. Use promotions. From 8 to 14 October 2026, the waxy Demeter potatoes at Migros cost CHF 3.16 instead of CHF 3.95 per kilo. How to plan your week around promotions is explained in the guide Cheap weekly plan.

Method

• Shelf prices: 48 potato products from the Eini price data (Coop, Migros, Denner, Lidl), regular prices without promotions, recorded on 23 September (Coop, Denner), 24 September (Migros) and 9 October 2026 (Lidl). Price per kilo = price divided by the pack weight.
• Left out: Lidl has two 1 kg bags of «Schweizer Kartoffeln» at CHF 1.79 and CHF 3.30; because we cannot tell what makes the more expensive bag different, it is missing from the tables. At Denner the IP-Suisse raclette potatoes are missing: on 23 September they were in our data at CHF 1.30 per kilo, but in the promotion of 8 October Denner gives CHF 1.75 as the regular price. Processed products (chips, Rösti, mashed potatoes, gnocchi) and sweet potatoes are not included.
• Organic: 12 products. At Migros the organic field is missing in the data; we identified organic and Demeter from the product image.
• Harvest and reference prices: press releases from swisspatat of 31 August and 3 September 2026. According to swisspatat, the harvest figures are based on test diggings from mid to late August 2026.
• Limits: A snapshot, not continuously tracked shelf prices. Prices may have changed since. More on the page Data and method.