U.S. exports of potatoes and potato products (raw product equivalent) fell by 4.1% during the third quarter of 2024. The total value of potato exports totaled $600 million during the quarter, down 1.3% from the previous year. Fresh potato exports fell 9.4% short of year-earlier shipments during the third quarter. Increased shipments to Mexico were more than offset by reduced exports to Canada. French fry and other frozen product exports exceeded year-earlier shipments by 3.6%. Dehydrated potato product exports fell 9.7% below 2024 shipments, to 79.96 million lbs. Third-quarter potato chip exports – mostly product fabricated from potato flakes – fell 25.5% below year-earlier sales.
Thanksgiving table potato movement peaked last week. US packers shipped 2.230 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Nov. 23. That is up from 1.339 million cwt shipped a year earlier. The large difference is because Thanksgiving was five days earlier last year. Michigan packers shipped 93,109 cwt of potatoes during the week ending Nov. 23. That is up from 41,050 cwt shipped during the same week in 2023. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 87.5% russets, 10.3% round whites, 2.1% yellow potatoes, and 0.1% red potatoes.
The USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $10-$11 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for $11-$12 per 50-pound bale, also unchanged. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for $9-$10 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $13-$15 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $16.91 per cwt, down from $16.94 per cwt last week.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $14-$16 per bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $14-$16 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. Red River Valley packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for mostly $18-$20 per cwt, unchanged from a week ago.
Report by North American Potato Market News