Chip potato markets remain quiet ahead of the Christmas holiday. Plants are running almost exclusively on contract potatoes.
Stats Canada reports that Canadian growers harvested 127.0 million cwt of potatoes during 2023. That is 372,000 cwt more than the 2023 crop, a 0.3% increase. Ontario growers produced 313,000 cwt more potatoes in 2024, a 3.6% increase. Quebec’s potato crop is up 2.0 million cwt, or 17.5%, from a year ago. Production in PEI and New Brunswick increased by 0.5% and 14.3%, respectively. On the other hand, production is down in Manitoba (-6.6%), Saskatchewan (-2.5%), Alberta (-6.2%), and British Columbia (-12.2%).
Canada appears to have an abundant supply of chip potatoes to carry the industry through the storage season. Agriculture Canada reported this week that Ontario had 6.28 million cwt of potatoes left in storage on Dec. 1. This year’s stocks fell 107,000 cwt, or 1.7%, short of the 2023 inventory. Intended use data show a 63,000 cwt increase in chip potato stocks, to a record 4.49 million cwt, a 1.4% increase. Quebec had 10.14 million cwt of potatoes in storage on Dec. 1. This year’s stocks exceeded year-earlier holdings by 859,000 cwt, or 9.3%. Processing stocks (chip and frozen) increased by 618,000 cwt, or 18.2%, relative to the previous year. In addition, finished product recovery rates are expected to improve with this year’s potato crop.
U.S. packers shipped 1.648 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Dec. 7. That is down from 1.696 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 60,830 cwt of potatoes during the week ending Dec. 7. That is up from 50,720 cwt shipped during the same week in 2023. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 92.5% russets, 5.7% round whites, and 1.8% yellow potatoes.
Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $10-$11 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for $11-$12 per 50-pound bale, also unchanged. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for $9-$10 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $12-$13 per 50-pound box, down from $13-$15 per 50-pound box last week. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $16.91 per cwt, unchanged from the previous week.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $14-$16 per bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $14-$16 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. Red River Valley packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for mostly $18-$20 per cwt, unchanged from a week ago.
Report by North American Potato Market News