USDA estimates that US growers harvested 413.2 million cwt of potatoes during 2021. That falls 6.9 million cwt short of 2020 production, a 1.6% decline. USDA puts Michigan’s potato crop at 20.00 million cwt. That is 2.04 million cwt more than 2020 production. Michigan’s average yield is reported at 410 cwt per acre, up from 390 cwt last year. USDA increased Michigan’s planted area to 50,000 acres, up from its previous estimate of 47,000 acres. It estimates that growers abandoned 1,200 acres of potatoes in 2021.
US packers shipped 1.956 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending November 6, 2021. That is up from 1.828 million cwt a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 54,900 cwt of potatoes during the week ending November 6, 2021. That is down from 55,600 cwt during the same week in 2020. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 95.4% Russets, 3.6% Round White potatoes, and 1.0% Yellow potatoes.
USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A Russets in 10# bags for $12.00-$12.50 per 50# bale, up from $11.00-$12.00 per 50# bale a week ago. Wisconsin packers are selling size A Russet potatoes in 10# bags for mostly $8.50-$9.50 per 50# bale, up from $8.50-$9.00 per 50# bale last week. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $16.00-$17.50 per 50# box, unchanged from a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $22.27 per cwt, up from $21.47 per cwt last week.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5# bags of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $17.50-$18.00 per 50# bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling 50# cartons of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $18.00 per 50# box, also unchanged. Red River Valley packers are selling size A Yellow potatoes in 2000# tote bags for mostly $22.00 per cwt, unchanged from last week. Long Island packers are selling size A Yellow potatoes in 2000# tote bags for mostly $17.00 per cwt.