As Canadians eagerly await updates on trade relations with the United States, misinformation regarding purported trade deals with other countries has started to circulate online. Reports claiming that Canada has reduced potato exports to the U.S. in response to tariffs, and has entered a $1.6 billion trade agreement with “Asian markets,” have gained traction across various social media platforms.
THE CLAIM
An August 6 post on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter) claimed, “Canada Cuts Potato Exports to U.S. – PM Carney signs $1.6B deal with Asia.” It alleged that over 140,000 tons of Canadian potatoes had vanished from U.S. shelves within a span of just four months. These rumors were further propagated on platforms like Facebook, Threads, and TikTok, with the latter linking a claimed 41 percent drop in exports to the U.S. to a 35 percent tariff imposed on Canadian potatoes by the U.S. government.
Various YouTube channels also contributed to the spread of these assertions through videos that appeared to be news reports, accumulating hundreds of thousands of views.
THE FACTS
Investigations reveal that there is no concrete evidence supporting a recent $1.6 billion agreement with any Asian country, nor is there any indication of increased potato exports to Asian markets. Stéphanie Blais, a spokeswoman for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, stated, “Canadian agri-food exporters base their decisions on market needs and dynamics, and available data for 2025 does not show an overall increase in shipments to Asian markets.”
While Canada has been negotiating a free trade agreement with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) since 2021, these talks are still ongoing. Although some YouTube videos mention that Indonesia and the Philippines could become new destinations for Canadian potatoes, a delegation of potato growers from Prince Edward Island visited these countries in December to explore export opportunities.
The Canadian government announced in November that it had completed negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Indonesia, set to be signed in 2025. However, no specific financial figures were mentioned in relation to this agreement. Notably, merchandise trade between Canada and Indonesia reached $5.1 billion in 2023.
In 2025, the only recorded import of Canadian potatoes by Indonesia was in April, amounting to 980 tonnes of fresh or chilled potatoes.
NO BIG CUTS TO U.S. EXPORTS
The United States remains the primary market for Canadian-grown potatoes, comprising 96 percent for seed potatoes, 93 percent for fresh potatoes, and 91 percent for French fry exports in the 2023/2024 production year. According to a report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, while exports to the U.S. did drop between the first and second quarters of 2025, such fluctuations have occurred in previous years even in the absence of tariffs.
Blais emphasized that fluctuations in trade can happen for various reasons, stating, “More time is needed to understand the true impact of the U.S. administration’s tariff policy.” From April to June 2025, Canada exported 427,467 tonnes of all types of potatoes to the U.S., a decline from 512,621 tonnes exported from January to March, revealing a 17 percent decrease rather than the 41 percent drop suggested in various online claims.
Potato exports are governed by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which ensures that they do not face the 35 percent tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on August 1, provided they meet the agreement's rules of origin.
CLICKBAIT VIDEOS
A search for “U.S. tariffs on potatoes” yields a plethora of clickbait videos, ranging from the somewhat reliable “Economic info” to less credible channels like “Bitcoin Timez.” The earliest known version of these claims originated from a channel named U.S. Retail Check, which published a video on July 27. This video included a disclaimer that its creators do not guarantee accuracy and warned viewers about potential altered content.
The Canadian Press has previously debunked similar fabrications regarding trade agreements, including false claims of a trade deal with Mexico allegedly generated by artificial intelligence. This misinformation underscores the importance of discerning credible news sources in the digital age.
This article was first published on August 14, 2025.
