Cooler temperatures improved harvest conditions last week. The chip potato market is quiet. Chip companies are using field delivery contracts almost exclusively. Potato chip sales are in their usual post-Labor Day slump. US chip potato movement during the week ending September 10 fell 14.0% short of year-earlier movement, at 933,000 cwt. Michigan’s chip potato shipments were down 66.9%. Wisconsin shipped 210,600 cwt last week compared to 52,000 cwt a year ago. Reports indicate that Michigan growers have started shipping new-crop table potatoes this week.
As attention turns to storing the 2022 crop, weather could become an important issue. Michigan weather forecasts for the next ten days show temperatures in the mid to upper 70°s, with a chance of showers Friday through Sunday. Wisconsin growing areas have picked up 0.5-1.7 inches of rain during the past few days. Weather forecasts are calling for additional rain this weekend.
US packers shipped 1.444 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending September 10, 2022. That is down from 1.455 million cwt a year earlier. USDA did not report any Michigan shipments during the week ending September 10, 2022. There were 12,000 cwt of table potato shipments reported a year ago.
Wisconsin packers are selling size A Russet potatoes in 10# bags for mostly $14.00-$15.50 per 50# bale, down from $15.00-$17.00 per 50# bale last week. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $34.00-$40.00 per 50# box, down from $35.00-$40.00 per 50# box a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for new-crop Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $44.25 per cwt. That is down from $50.98 per cwt a week ago.
Big Lake and Central Minnesota packers are selling 2000# tote bags of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $25.00 per cwt, unchanged from last week. Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5# bales of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $16.00-$19.00 per bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling 50# cartons of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $16.00-$19.00 per 50# box, also unchanged.