Michigan growers plan to start digging chip potatoes this weekend. Crop development is about a week ahead of schedule. Growers and buyers are pleased with the quality of this year’s crop. Most areas have received plenty of rain. Insects have been a problem, but so far late blight has not been detected. Chip potato shipments from North Carolina and South Carolina are winding up. Harvest is underway in Ohio and Indiana. Reports indicate that those states have good crops.
Stats Canada reported that Canadian growers planted a total of 393,592 acres of potatoes in 2024. That is 3,610 acres less than they planted last year, a 0.9% reduction. In the Maritime Provinces, growers in PEI planted 800 more acres to potatoes, while growers in New Brunswick increased their planted area by 185 acres. Growers in Quebec and Ontario increased their planted area by 682 acres and 1,538 acres, respectively. On the other hand, acreage dropped significantly in the Prairie Provinces, due to contract reductions for frozen processing. Manitoba’s acreage was down 2,400 acres. Alberta growers cut their planted area by 4,600 acres. Saskatchewan’s potato area increased by 200 acres, while the planted area was unchanged in British Columbia.
U.S. packers shipped 1.577 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending July 20. That is up from 1.520 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 52,250 cwt of potatoes during the week ending July 20. That is up from 31,700 cwt shipped during the same week in 2023. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 87.1% russets, 7.8% yellow potatoes, and 5.2% round white potatoes.
Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $7.50-$9.50 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $14-$15 per 50-pound box, up from $13-$15 per 50-pound box a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Burbanks is $12.03 per cwt, up from $11.97 per cwt a week ago.
USDA has stopped reporting prices for Virginia as the season winds down.
Report by North American Potato Market News