Agriculture on PEI

Prince Edward Island is the smallest province in Canada. The Island has a total land area of 1.4 million acres. Farmlands represent about 36.05% of the total land area (504,674 acres). As of January 2025, the population of PEI was 179,280. The 2021 Census of Agriculture counted 1,195 census farms primarily engaged in growing crops and raising livestock. These farms vary in size, ranging from a few acres to 3,000 acres, with an average size of 422 acres.

Prince Edward Island’s agriculture sector generated $828.01 million in farm cash receipts in 2024, with $524.28 million from crop receipts and $212.78 million from livestock receipts. PEI’s agriculture and agri-food exports in 2024 represented about 40.41% of the province’s total exports across all sectors. PEI’s agriculture and agri-food sector exports increased by 3.23% in 2024 to $1.05 billion, reaching an all-time high for the third consecutive year.

Potatoes

There is a strong historical connection to potato production on PEI. The potato was first introduced to PEI in 1758, and the first export shipment was made in 1827. In 2024, PEI had 85,300 acres of land dedicated to potato production and harvested approximately 25.93 million hundredweight (Cwt) of potatoes. PEI potatoes are most often processed into french fries, potato chips, dehydrated products, and other processed products. The majority of PEI’s potatoes and potato products are exported to other provinces or abroad. In 2024, fresh and processed potatoes contributed about $935.95 million in international exports.

Grains and Oilseeds

In 2024, PEI had 157,100 acres seeded with barley, oats, wheat, corn, and soybeans. The grain and oilseed sector in PEI produced a total of 258,509 metric tonnes of barley, oats, corn (for grains), soybeans, and wheat, with farm cash receipts estimated at $51.40 million. PEI-grown feed-grade cereals and soybeans are primarily fed to livestock on the island and elsewhere in Atlantic Canada. 

Fruit Production and Honeybees

PEI produces a diverse range of fruits, including lowbush and highbush blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, grapes and apples. In 2024, the total area dedicated to blueberry farming was around 12,084 acres. International exports of fresh and frozen blueberries reached $65.40 million in 2024. PEI’s apple industry is undergoing a period of revival and expansion. Currently, there are approximately 475 acres of orchard, with 75 acres of traditional orchard and 400 acres of high density, trellised orchard mostly featuring high value varieties.

PEI also has an active honeybee industry. In 2024, this industry supplied over 4000 colonies for pollination services to the Island’s fruit crops. The value of natural honey produced by PEI honey producers in 2024 was $303,000.

Vegetables 

A diverse range of greenhouse and field vegetables are produced in PEI. These include carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, onion, rutabagas, tomatoes, and cucumber. These vegetables are mainly available as fresh farm products for consumers in Atlantic Canada. In 2024, carrots were the largest field vegetable, followed by rutabagas and turnips, in terms of area planted and total production. In 2024, the total carrot production in PEI was approximately 6,496 metric tonnes. A core group of diversified growers produce a significant percentage of the fresh market vegetable acreage.

Organic 

There are approximately 23 Certified Organic producers on PEI with more than 7,000 acres of certified organic farmland. PEI organic farmers produce potatoes, carrots, beets, soybeans, forages, grains, small fruits, diversified mixed produce (market gardens), beef and a range of value-added products. Farmers may label their products as “Certified Organic” when they are produced according to Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) organic regime.

Beef and Dairy Production 

The beef industry in PEI is comprised of four interconnected sectors: cow-calf, backgrounding, feedlot and processors. In 2024, the beef industry in PEI generated approximately $54 million in farm cash receipts. Cattle are processed in the province at the federally-inspected Atlantic Beef Products facility and also at provincially-inspected abattoirs.

Dairy production in PEI is highly specialized and mechanized. Rigorous inspection programs cover every phase of production, from the health of the cow through to the finished product. As of July 2024, the total number of cattle in PEI was 56,600 head (including 12,200 dairy cows and 5,600 dairy heifers). In 2024, 160 farms reported milk shipments and generated about $118 million in farm cash receipts. Milk sold off-farm totaled 1.26 million hectoliters. The majority of milk in PEI is processed by Amalgamated Dairies Ltd., a producer-owned cooperative.

Hog Production

In 2024, there were 16 commercial hog operations on PEI. PEI has one operation that produces breeding stock, which is sold throughout the Maritimes and Eastern Canada. 

Poultry 

Poultry production in PEI consists mainly of chickens and eggs. In 2024, PEI had eight registered chicken producers, seven licensed egg- producers, and one egg-grading station In 2023, PEI produced 3.88 million dozen eggs worth $8.36 million.  The majority of the eggs were sold in the local table market, while the remainder were exported to other provinces for the table market or processing.

Poultry production is part of several value-added industries including boneless and bone-in breast, ground, burgers, sausages and meatballs.

For more information about the agriculture industry on PEI, contact

Agriculture Information Desk:
5th Floor Jones Building, 11 Kent Street
Charlottetown
Telephone: (902) 368-4880 or toll free 1-866-PEI-FARM (734-3276)
Email: DeptAg@gov.pe.ca