February U.S. chip potato shipments fell 4.0% short of 2023 movement. At 4.53 million cwt, that is 188,000 cwt less than the industry shipped a year earlier. Reduced movement from Wisconsin (-188,000 cwt) and Michigan (-101,000 cwt) were the largest factors in the downturn. Shipments from Maine (-62,000 cwt), the Southwest region (-17,000 cwt), and New York (-7,000 cwt) also declined. In contrast, reported February chip potato movement exceeded the 2023 pace in the Rocky Mountain region (+117,000 cwt) and the Mid-Central region (+74,000 cwt). Chip potato shipments from the Red River Valley and the West Coast and Midwest regions nearly matched year-earlier movement. Season-to-date chip potato shipments (August-February) totaled 31.02 million cwt. That nearly matched year-earlier movement. Chip potato markets remain quiet. Buyers have plenty of storage potatoes to carry them through the season.
U.S. packers shipped 6.81 million cwt of fresh potatoes during February. That is 881,000 cwt more than they shipped during February 2023, a 14.9% increase. Fresh potato shipments were the largest, for the month, since 2018. February 2024 movement exceeded the five-year average pace by 6.8%. Reduced shipments from Florida, Texas, and the San Luis Valley were offset by increased movement from all other major shipping regions. Michigan’s February fresh potato shipments totaled a record 291,000 cwt. That is 38,000 cwt more than year-earlier movement, a 14.9% increase. For the season, through March 2, shipments are running 25.3% ahead of last year’s pace.
U.S. packers shipped 1.599 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending March 2, 2024. That is up from 1.525 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 49,600 cwt of potatoes during the week ending March 2, 2024. That is down from 55,503 cwt shipped during the same week in 2023. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 77.3% russets, 15.9% yellow potatoes, and 6.8% round white potatoes.
USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $10-$14.75 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for $11-$15.75 per 50-pound bale, also unchanged. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $8-$9.00 per 50-pound bale, down from $8.50-$9.50 per 50-pound bale last week. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $10-$12 per 50-pound box, unchanged from a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $13.18 per cwt, unchanged from last week.
Red River Valley packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for mostly $21-$22 per cwt, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for mostly $30 per 50-pound box, down from $30-$32 per 50-pound box last week.
– Report by North American Potato Market News