Canada held a record 40.55 million cwt of potatoes in storage on May 1. That is 6.79 million cwt more than the May 1, 2023 inventory, a 20.1% increase. Approximately 95% of the extra potatoes are in Alberta and Manitoba. Stocks intended for processing are up 31.0% from last year. Table potato inventories are down 5.1%, while seed potato inventories are up 5.9%, relative to 2023.
Ontario had 1.63 million cwt of chip potatoes in storage on May 1. That is 287,000 cwt more than the province held a year earlier, a 21.3% increase. Quebec Potato Producers reported today that the province held 286,000 cwt of chip potatoes on May 1, down 34.4% from a year ago. The combined chip potato inventory for the two provinces totaled 1.92 million cwt. That is 137,000 cwt more than year-earlier holdings, a 7.7% increase. April chip potato disappearance was mixed. Quebec’s April usage fell 21.6% short of last year’s pace, while Ontario’s chip potato movement exceeded the 2023 pace by 28.4%. At the April usage rate, Ontario’s storage chip potato supplies would last through June 23, while Quebec’s chip potatoes would be cleaned up by June 14. Chip potato harvest typically gets underway during the last week of July. That may increase demand for imported U.S. chip potatoes this year.
U.S. packers shipped 1.574 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending May 11. That is up from 1.397 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 47,132 cwt of potatoes during the week ending May 11. That is down from 64,215 cwt shipped during the same week in 2023. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 90.1% russets, 5.6% round white potatoes, and 4.2% yellow potatoes.
The USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $9-$13.75 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for $10-$14.75 per 50-pound bale, also unchanged. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $8-$9 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $10-$12 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $11.03 per cwt, up from $10.96 per cwt last week.
Florida packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 5-pound film bags for mostly $21.95-$25.95 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $20.95-$24.95 per box, also unchanged. Florida packers are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for $35.95-$40.95 per box, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $36.90-$40.90 per cwt, also unchanged.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A round white potatoes for $24.95-$28.95 per box, unchanged from last week.
− Report by North American Potato Market News