.Idaho’s 2002 potato crop is all but planted, the Potato Growers of Idaho said.
It won’t be known for several weeks just what the acreage will be but there is already heavy speculation acreage will be above last year.
Even though some growers turned back seed when they lost Simplot contracts in the Magic Valley of southern Idaho, there are some signs that plenty of seed was planted.
Keith Esplin, executive director of the PGI, said he is hearing conflicting reports. One day he hears that the state will be overplanted and the next day he hears reports that acreage will be down.
The NASS estimated planted acreage report will be out in about two weeks.
Growers were finishing planting in Idaho’s high-altitude seed-growing areas. Two rainstorms over the past three weeks have slowed planting in many areas but the delays have been minimal.