Harvest conditions have been favorable across the country, though above-average temperatures have slowed progress in several areas. Some growers have finished digging this year’s crop. Most others will finish within the next week. North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) now expects U.S. growers to produce 422.20 million cwt of potatoes during 2024. That is 17.93 million cwt less than they produced in 2023, a 4.1% decline. The forecast is based on early October harvest reports. We also made several adjustments to yields after reviewing USDA’s revisions for the 2023 potato crop. NAPMN reduced its total production estimate by 6.60 million cwt since the September forecast. The largest reductions came in Idaho, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and California, though NAPMN also trimmed its production estimates for Maine, Nebraska, and Florida. Those reductions were partially offset by an increase in Oregon’s crop estimate.
Reported U.S. chip potato shipments totaled 3.58 million cwt during the four weeks in September. That is 745,000 cwt, or 17.2%, less than the industry shipped during the same period last year. Reduced shipments from Michigan (-429,000 cwt), the Southwest region (-135,000 cwt), the Midwest region (-119,000 cwt), the Mid-Central region (-102,000 cwt), Maine (-74,000 cwt), and New York (-35,000 cwt) were all factors in the downturn. In contrast, reported chip potato shipments from the Rocky Mountain Region (+120,000 cwt), the Red River Valley (+53,000 cwt), Wisconsin (+49,000 cwt), and the West Coast region (+25,000 cwt) exceeded year-earlier movement. Season-to-date (August-September) chip potato shipments are running 6.1% behind the 2023 pace.
U.S. packers shipped 1.577 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Oct. 5. That is up from 1.566 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 33,988 cwt of potatoes during the week ending Oct. 5. That is up from 30,425 cwt shipped during the same week in 2023. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 100% Russets.
Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for $9.50-$11 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $17-$18 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $17.83 per cwt, down from $18.35 per cwt a week ago.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $13-$15.50 per bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $13-$15.50 per 50-pound box, also unchanged.
Report by North American Potato Market News