Rain continues to delay planting in Michigan. The state’s early potatoes have been set back by a week or more. Nebraska’s chip potato crop is also behind schedule. Rain in the middle of the planting season has delayed part of North Carolina’s potato crop by about ten days. Reports indicate that North Carolina’s crop is in excellent condition and received very little frost damage last week. Chip potato demand has been strong. Storage supplies are cleaning up quicker than expected. Planting delays could cause a tight supply situation as the industry transitions from storage potatoes to fresh potatoes.
US packers shipped 1.616 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending April 23, 2022. That is down from 1.670 million cwt a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 51,400 cwt of potatoes during the week ending April 23, 2022. That is down from 53,600 cwt during the same week in 2021. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 99.1% Russets and 0.9% Red potatoes.
USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A Russets in 10# bags for mostly $11.00-$12.00 per 50# bale, unchanged from a week ago. Wisconsin packers are selling size A Russet potatoes in 10# bags for mostly $10.00-$11.00 per 50# bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $18.00-$19.00 per 50# box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $21.23 per cwt, up from $21.15 per cwt last week.
Florida size A Yellow potatoes are selling for mostly $28.95-$32.25 per 50# carton, unchanged from last week.
Florida packers are selling 50# cartons of size A Round White potatoes for $34.95-$35.25 per box, unchanged from last week. Maine has discontinued reporting as the shipping season winds down.