Storage chip potato supplies appear to be plentiful. Nevertheless, the quality of storage chip potatoes could decline significantly over the next six weeks as the weather warms up. There may not be enough early chip potatoes in the South to fill industry needs, given this year’s contract reductions. Reports indicate that growers have turned back seed potatoes in response to trimmed contracts. Seed growers are unsure what to do with the left-over seed. It may end up being diverted to cattle feed or dehy processing.
Chip potato shipments from Florida are picking up. Growers plan to start digging in the central part of the state later this week. Early yields are expected to be down because of frost damage, while yields on the later crop appear to be closer to normal.
US packers shipped 1.638 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending March 26, 2022. That is down from 1.881million cwt a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 45,500 cwt of potatoes during the week ending March 26, 2022. That is down from 53,100 cwt during the same week in 2021. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 90.7% Russets, 6.6% Yellow potatoes, and 1.4% Round White potatoes.
USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A Russets in 10# bags for mostly $11.00-$12.00 per 50# bale, unchanged from a week ago. Wisconsin packers are selling size A Russet potatoes in 10# bags for mostly $10.00-$10.50 per 50# bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $17.00-$18.00 per 50# box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $21.12 per cwt, up from $21.01 per cwt last week.
Florida size A Yellow potatoes are selling for mostly $25.95-$30.25 per 50# carton, up from $25.95-$28.25 per 50# carton last week.
Maine packers are selling 2 inch minimum Round White potatoes in 10/5# film bags for $9.50-$10.00 per 50# bale, unchanged from a week ago. Florida packers are selling 50# cartons of size A Round White potatoes for $34.95-$35.25 per box, unchanged from last week.