USDA reports show growers in the 11 reporting states held 255.0 million cwt of potatoes on Dec. 1. That is 8.0 million cwt less than the year-earlier inventory, a 3.0% decline.
The stocks included 10.6 million cwt of potatoes in Michigan. Michigan’s stocks were reported to be down 1.3 million cwt, or 10.9% from last year. The state’s chip potato movement has been running 3.4% ahead the 2021 pace, while reported table potato shipments are running 16.5% behind last year. USDA reported a 17.9% drop in the state’s early-season disappearance, to 6.1 million cwt.
Quebec potato producers reported this week that the province held 1.43 million cwt of chip potatoes on Dec. 1, versus 1.57 million cwt a year ago, an 8.5% decline. As reported last week, Ontario held 4.09 million cwt of chip potatoes on Dec. 1. The combined chip potato inventory for the two provinces totaled 5.52 million cwt. That is 311,000 cwt less than year-earlier holdings, a 5.3% decline.
U.S. packers shipped 1.887 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Dec.17. That is down from 1.950 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan’s reported shipments totaled 59,300 cwt of potatoes during the week ending Dec. 17. That is down from 90,900 cwt during the same week in 2021. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 96.3% russets, 1.9% yellow potatoes, and 1.9% red potatoes.
USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $16-$17 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $14-$15 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $26-$32 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $37.30 per cwt. That is up from $37.24 per cwt a week ago.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5# bales of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $19.50-$23 per bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $19-$23 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. Red River Valley packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for mostly $23.00-$26.00 per cwt, unchanged from a week ago.
– Report by North American Potato Market News