When everything is added up, about 324,000 acres of potatoes should be recorded as being harvested in Idaho in 2015, with a yield of 13 billion pounds of potatoes. The numbers are down abit because of fewer potatoes being planted this year, said Frank Muir, president and CEO for the Idaho Potato Commission.
USDA numbers in November showed expected Idaho yields of 402 hundredweight per acre, down 13 hundredweight (3 percent) per acre from last year.
With the total amount of potatoes down, prices are trending upward; that should continue throughout the year, Muir said.
More large potatoes will be available for foodservice than were last year, but they won’t be in abundance.
Kevin Stanger, senior vice president for sales and marketing for Wada Farms Marketing Group in Idaho Falls, Idaho, said he’s excited for the upcoming season, as there should be good return on investment on the crop because of lower yields in the fresh potato market, but with a quality potato, which should command a better price. Last year, the overall potato crop featured smaller potatoes, but this season’s crop offers normal splits of sizes, he said.
“Based on the potatoes already out there this season, we will have to meter our potatoes to meet demand throughout the year.”
Chris Voigt, executive director for the Washington State Potato Commission, said the USDA reported harvested acres in Washington at 170,000 acres this year, up somewhat from last year. But the USDA also announced in November that per-acre yields were down about 4 percent in Washington, which Voigt attributed to high heat during the summer.
“I think that number surprised a lot of us. We were expecting the crop yield to be down maybe 9 percent,” he said. “Even if the USDA numbers are correct, supplies will be tight this marketing season.”
Bill Brewer, executive director of the Oregon Potato Commission, said there was a small decrease in potato acreage in Malheur County, down about 500 acres for all potatoes processed for the frozen sector. Brewer estimated total production will be up slightly with acreage gained in Morrow and Umatilla counties, and demand so far has been slow but improving.
Jim Ehrlich, executive director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, said acreage is down about 4 percent this year, with 52,800 acres planted in the San Luis Valley, but yields are better than 2014, so production should be very close to 20 million hundredweight. Demand also has been relatively strong, with year-to-date shipments running ahead of last year about 3 percent.
Dana Rady, director of promotions, communication and consumer education for the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, said the average yield for the state last year was around 431hundredweight per acre; this year, it is expected to be closer to 460 hundredweight per acre.
Ralph Schwartz, vice president of marketing, sales and innovation for Potandon Produce, said the company’s harvesting is done and supplies of all varieties are good. Quality is very good and sizing is above average for potatoes, with a greater percentage of premium size.
Source: The Packer