The chip potato market is quiet ahead of the transition from Florida to North Carolina. Florida’s chip potato shipments tapered off last week. Temperatures in north Florida were in the mid-90s over the holiday weekend. North Carolina growers will likely start harvesting the second week of June. The Missouri harvest usually gets underway by mid-June.
Early reports indicate Michigan’s 2024 potato crop is off to an excellent start. Warm weather and timely rain have accelerated emergence and crop development.
U.S. packers shipped 1.669 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending May 25, up from 1.570 million cwt a year ago. There were no reported shipments from Michigan during the week ending May 25 compared to 53,230 cwt shipped during the same week in 2023.
The USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $9-$10.50 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for $10-$11.50 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 $11-$12 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $10.90 per cwt, unchanged from last week.
Florida packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 5-pound film bags for mostly $22.95-$25.95 per 50-pound bale, up from $21.95-$25.95 per 50-pound bale a week ago. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $21.95-$24.95 per box, up from $20.95-$24.95 per box last week. Florida packers are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for $35.95-$40.95 per box, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $35.90-$40.90 per cwt, down from $36.90-$40.90 per cwt last week.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A round white potatoes for $23.95-$28.95 per box, down from $24.95-$28.95 per box last week.
− Report by North American Potato Market News