Early May Crop Update For Potato Planting From Across The U.S.

Published online: May 14, 2024 Articles
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The USDA NASS has provided an update on the U.S. potato crop in its weekly crop progress report (https://www.nass.usda.gov/) for last week. Here’s a sample of what the latest report showed. There are a couple of states with no report; they hadn’t been published by the time we posted this update on our webpage.

Oregon – The report shows 97 percent of Oregon’s 2024 potato crop has been planted thus far, up from 83 percent last week. The five-year average of what has been planted by this time of year is 91 percent, so the state is ahead of its average. Last year at this time, 84 percent of the crop had been planted.

The NASS also reports that 52 percent of the crop has emerged, an increase of 16 percent from the week prior.

Washington – Just to the north, 96 percent of the potato crop has been planted in Washington. That’s up from 91 percent a week ago and well above the five-year average of 84 percent. A year ago 78 percent of the crop had been planted.

Idaho – The NASS shows 66 percent of the 2024 crop having been planted. That’s a slight increase of 6 percent from a week ago when it was 60 percent and slightly behind the five-year 70 percent average. It is nominally ahead of last year’s planting, which stood at 65 percent.

Wisconsin – Planting is fairly close to being done with 80 percent of the crop in. This is eight days ahead of last year and six days ahead of the average.

Michigan – The only report we saw for Michigan says, “Potato planting was proceeding on schedule.”

North Dakota – The report states 39 percent of the state’s potatoes have been planted, with 4 percent of that already emerged.

Minnesota – The state’s potato growers have 56 percent of the crop planted, which is well ahead of last year’s 33 percent at this time of the year and ahead of the five-year average, which is 47 percent. A week ago, 35 percent had been planted.

Colorado – Potatoes planted outside of the San Luis Valley stands at 40 percent, which is slightly behind last year at this time when it was 43 percent. The five-year average is 55 percent. Of the potatoes planted, 4 percent have emerged.

Potatoes planted in the San Luis Valley stood at 39 percent last week, which is a bit behind where it was last year when it was 51 percent. The five-year average is 65 percent.

Maine – The NASS shows 28 percent of Maine’s potato crop has been planted, up from 9 percent a week ago. The five-year average is 9 percent at this time of year. Last year at this point of the planting season, 19 percent had been planted.

New York – Growers in New York have planted 10 percent of the potato crop, which is up from less than 5 percent a week ago.