Final disposition numbers show Idaho's 2009 potato crop totalling 133 million cwt, an increase of 1.1 percent from earlier estimates. Field run yield of 415 cwt is 4 cwt more than the previous estimate and 32 cwt more than the 2008 crop's yield.
Harvested area for the 2009 crop was 319,000 acres, unchanged from the previous estimate. For the 2010 potato crop, preliminary data from the Potato Objective Yield Survey shows that the Russet Burbank variety accounts for 59.6 percent of the potato acreage planted in Idaho. Russet Norkotah account for 13.6 percent of plantings, and Ranger Russets are 12.7 percent of the total. Alturas, at 1.8 percent, and Frito Lay varieties, at 1.6 percent, complete the top five varieties planted in Idaho for the 2010 crop.
Nationally, production of 2009 fall potatoes is finalized at 394 million cwt, 4 percent above the 2008 crop, but 3 percent below 2007. Final production of potatoes from all four seasons in 2009 totalled 432 million cwt, up 4 percent from 2008 but 3 percent below 2007.
Source: Ag Weekly