Estimated-planted potato acres for the 2002(03) crop have been put at 1.17 million acres. This is up 5 percent from 2001’s 1.11 million acres but 4 percent below two years ago.
Harvested acres for fall potatoes is estimated at 1.14 million, nearly 5 percent more than the 1.09 million acres harvested last year.
Idaho, the nation’s No. 1 producing state, has an estimated 395,000 acres going into potatoes, up 7 percent from last year’s 370,000 acres. But, it is 5 percent below the record-busting, financially devastating 415,000 acres of two years ago.
Harvested acres in Idaho are expected to come in about 393,000, a 25,000-acre increase from last year.
There are many factors that could affect yield, but this is not addressed by the USDA/NASS report.