Source: The Packer
The value of the 2017 Idaho potato crop hit a record $1.2 billion, according to the USDA, a sharp increase of 22.7 percent from the previous year’s crop.
Harvested acreage in the state was down 5 percent, and yields were down 1.2 percent, according to the USDA.
The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) said half those potatoes—whether fresh, frozen or dehydrated—end up on restaurant menus and at other foodservice operations. That accounts for 13 billion pounds, according to a news release from the IPC.
“Consumers are demanding a broader variety of creative and ethnic foods that would often be too challenging, costly and time-consuming to prepare at home,” Don Odiorne, the IPC’s vice president of foodservice, said in the release. “A variety of Idaho potato products and recipe options help operators meet that demand.”