Island table
An island that grows more potatoes than anywhere in Canada
The same iron-rich red soil that colors PEI's cliffs makes it Canada's largest potato producer — paired with lobster, oysters and mussels landed straight from the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
- Potato industry
- Over $1.1 billion annually to PEI's economy
- Seafood
- Lobster, oysters and mussels, Gulf of St. Lawrence
- Why here
- Iron-rich red soil, ideal potato growing conditions
The soil connection
Red soil, world-class potatoes
The same iron-oxide-rich sandstone that colors PEI's cliffs and beaches breaks down into soil with exceptional growing conditions for potatoes. The industry contributes more than $1.1 billion a year to the island's economy and employs hundreds of local farming families — a direct economic link to the same geology tourists come to photograph.
From the water
Lobster, oysters and mussels
PEI's location around the relatively warm, sheltered waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Northumberland Strait provides strong conditions for shellfish — the island is particularly known for its lobster, along with oysters and mussels farmed and landed close to shore.
Where to eat it
Wharf-side and farm-direct
Small-town wharves along all three coastal drives typically have a seafood shack or restaurant serving the day's catch; farm stands sell potatoes and produce directly, especially in late summer and fall harvest season.