The director of the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association says it has been a good weather year for the state’s potato crop and that prices are stable.
“The last couple of years we’ve had unusual springs where it was either too cold or too wet,” says Tamas Houlihan. “This year most of the crop got in the ground on time. We had plenty of moisture throughout the growing season. We didn’t have too many hot days, which can stunt the growth of potatoes.”
Houlihan says the prices should be acceptable for growers, but overall the production is expected to be down slightly.
“That’s going to lead to very similar pricing that we’ve seen,” he says. “Wisconsin consistently leads the nation in what we call ‘return to grower.’ That’s the price our growers get for their potatoes. It probably averages $13 per hundredweight.”
A USDA report found the total value of Wisconsin potatoes fell from $273 million to about $270 million in 2015.
Source: WHBL Radio