Chip markets are quiet. Companies are running almost exclusively on contract potatoes. They should have plenty of potatoes to carry them through the storage season without any issues.
The US certified seed area for major chip potato varieties (other than Frito Lay varieties) fell by 211 acres, to 12,095 acres in 2021. Acreage declined for several major chip varieties including Lamoka (-195 acres), Atlantic (-57 acres), and Dakota Pearl (-415 acres), while the certified area increased for Snowden (+7 acres) and Waneta (+170 acres). The certified area for Frito Lay varieties rose by 174 acres to 9,802 acres this year. Growers should be able to find enough seed to plant their 2022 crop.
US packers shipped 1.326 million cwt of table potatoes during the holiday-shortened week ending December 25, 2021. That is up from 1.251 million cwt a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 44,300 cwt of potatoes during the week ending December 25, 2021. That is up from 43,700 cwt during the same week in 2020. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 87.8% Russets, 10.6% Round White potatoes, and 0.7% Yellow potatoes.
Table potato markets remain quiet. USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A Russets in 10# bags for $11.00-$11.50 per 50# bale, unchanged from a week ago. Wisconsin packers are selling size A Russet potatoes in 10# bags for mostly $8.50-$9.50 per 50# bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $16.00-$18.00 per 50# box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $22.63 per cwt, unchanged from last week.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5# bags of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $18.00-$18.50 per 50# bale, up from $17.50-$18.00 per 50# bale a week ago. They are selling 50# cartons of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $18.00 per 50# box, unchanged from last week. Red River Valley packers are selling size A Yellow potatoes in 2000# tote bags for mostly $22.00 per cwt, unchanged from a week ago. Long Island packers are selling size A Yellow potatoes in 2000# tote bags for mostly $17.00 per cwt, also unchanged.
Long Island packers are selling size A Round White potatoes in 2000# tote bags for mostly $16.00 per cwt, unchanged from last week.