The chip potato business has been extremely quiet. Movement has been steady. Storage chip potatoes have been holding up better than expected. Dry conditions and above average temperatures have been ideal for planting in Michigan. Approximately half of the potatoes have already been planted in Southwest Michigan. Growers have started planting in the central part of the state.
Planting is underway in Wisconsin, which about a week earlier last year and the five-year average. Conditions have been favorable for early planting in several areas, but the market does not need as many early potatoes this year, due to the large supply of storage potatoes. Rain has made planting extremely difficult in North Carolina. Some growers have had to replant. Seed supplies are plentiful.
U.S. packers shipped 1.550 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending April 13. That is down from 1.554 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 74,027 cwt of potatoes during the week ending April 13. That is down from 75,360 cwt shipped during the same week in 2023. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 74.3% russets, 16.4% yellow potatoes, 8.2% round white potatoes, and 1.1% red potatoes.
The USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $9-$13.75 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for $10-$14.75 per 50-pound bale, also unchanged. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $8-$9 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $10-$12 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $12.06 per cwt, down from $12.25 per cwt last week.
Florida packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 5-pound film bags for $21.95-$28.25 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $20.95-$26.25 per box, down from $20.95-$28.25 per box a week ago. Florida packers are also selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for $35.95-$40.25 per box, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $40-$44 per cwt, up from $36.90-$38.90 per cwt a week ago.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A round white new-crop potatoes for $35.25-$35.95 per box, down from $35.25-$38.95 per box last week.
− Report by North American Potato Market News