Chip potato markets are quiet. Plants are running almost exclusively on contract potatoes. Buyers are showing little concern with regard to storage supplies. Contracting for the 2021 crop is moving forward. Contract volumes and prices are flat relative to 2020 levels, though there may be some juggling of volume between growers. Buyers are being extremely conservative due to the uncertainties with regard to COVID-19 and its potential impact on demand for potato chips.
US packers shipped 1.685 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending January 23, 2021. That is up from 1.606 million cwt a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 8,198 cwt of potatoes during the week ending January 23, 2021. That is up from 46,010 cwt during the same week in 2020. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 58.1% Russets, 30.9% Yellow varieties, and 10.1% 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, down from $13.10 per cwt a week ago.
In the Red River Valley size-A Yellow potatoes are selling for mostly $26.00 per cwt in 2000# totes, unchanged from last week.
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.