Chip potato movement has slowed down, which is typical for September. Growers are focused on storing potatoes. However, the weather has not been cooperating very well. Central Michigan has received nice rain showers this week, while parts of Southern Michigan have been drenched. The forecast for Grand Rapids calls for heavy rain on Thursday and Friday. Next week’s forecast of cooler temperatures and sunshine looks good for harvesting potatoes. Harvest in Wisconsin also has been slow due to wet fields and warm weather.
US packers shipped 1.777 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending September 18, 2021. That is up from 1.658 million cwt a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 33,900 cwt of potatoes during the week ending September 18, 2021. That is up from 29,100 cwt during the same week in 2020. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 82.9% Russets, 13.9% Round White potatoes, and 3.2% Red potatoes.
Wisconsin packers are selling size A Russet potatoes in 10# bags for mostly $8.00-$8.50 per 50# bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $18.00-$19.00 per 50# box, down from $20.00-$22.00 per 50# box a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $20.82 per cwt, down from $21.81 per cwt last week.
Delaware packers are selling 2000# tote bags of size A Round White potatoes for mostly $13.50-$16.50 per cwt, down from $14.50-$16.50 per cwt a week ago.
Big Lake and Central Minnesota packers are selling 2000# tote bags of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $18.00 per cwt, down from for $19.00-$20.00 per cwt last week. Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5# bales of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $13.00-$16.00 per 50# bale, FIRST REPORT. They are selling 50# cartons of size A Yellow potatoes for mostly $14.00-$15.50.