The chip potato business is quiet. Movement is good. Michigan chip potatoes are nearly cleaned up. Planting is all but complete in Michigan. The state has received very little rain during the past three weeks. There is no rain in the forecast for the next 10 days.
Strong U.S. first-quarter exports of fresh potatoes, dehydrated product, and potato chips were partially offset by reduced fry and other frozen product exports. The U.S. exported 2.4 million cwt of fresh potatoes during the quarter, up 2.1%. Most of the growth came in sales to Mexico. The U.S. exported 92.6 million pounds of dehydrated potato products during the first quarter, up 42.4%. The U.S. also exported 28.29 million pounds of potato chips (mostly product fabricated from potato flakes), 18.1% more than year-earlier exports. U.S. fryers exported 477.2 million pounds of frozen potato products during the first quarter, an 11.3% decline. On the other hand, U.S. fry and other frozen product imports totaled a record 820.8 million pounds during the first quarter, an 11.8% increase. First-quarter purchases from European fryers exceeded year-earlier imports by 74.7 million pounds, or 84.9%.
U.S. packers shipped 1.549 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending May 20. That is up from 1.489 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan’s reported shipments totaled 75,300 cwt during the week ending May 20. That is up from 33,100 cwt during the same week in 2022. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 77.6% russets, 14.0% round white potatoes, and 8.4% yellow potatoes.
The USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for mostly $16-$17 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for mostly $17-$18 per 50-pound bale, also unchanged. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $15-$16 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $30-$34 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $39.95 per cwt. That is up from $39.68 per cwt a week ago.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow new-crop potatoes for mostly $26.95 per box, up from $24.95-$26.95 per box last week. They are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for $45.95 per box, unchanged from a week ago.
– Report by North American Potato Market News