Chip potato movement has been up this week, ahead of the Superbowl. Chip companies are running almost exclusively on contract potatoes. The quality of potatoes is good, though solids on potatoes coming out of the Great Lakes region are below average, which increases raw product requirements. Nevertheless, the chip industry appears to have ample supplies of raw product in storage.
Planting is advancing in Florida, Georgia and Texas. Crops are going in the ground on schedule and without any serious problems. Contract prices are the same as last year. Florida contract volumes may be down slightly, compared with a year ago, which has come as a surprise to the Florida growers.
US packers shipped 1.684 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending January 30, 2021. That is up from 1.618 million cwt a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 41,445 cwt of potatoes during the week ending January 30, 2021. That is down from 59,539 cwt during the same week in 2020. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 73.4% Russets, 15.2% Yellow varieties, and 11.4% Round White potatoes.
Michigan packers are selling size A Russets in 10# bags for mostly $12.00-$12.50 per 50# bale, unchanged from a week ago. Wisconsin packers are selling size A Russet potatoes in 10# bags for mostly $9.00-$9.50 per 50# bale, unchanged for the week. They are selling 40-70 count Russet count cartons for $13.00-$14.00 per 50# box, also unchanged for the week. The weighted average shipping point price for new-crop Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $13.09 per cwt, unchanged for the week.
In the Red River Valley size-A Yellow potatoes are selling for mostly $26.00-$27.00 per cwt in 2000# totes, up from $26.00 per cwt a week ago.
Maine packers are selling 2 inch minimum Round White 10/5# film bags for $11.00-$11.50 per 50# bale, unchanged from a week ago.