The U.S. certified seed area for major chip potato varieties (other than Frito Lay varieties) rose this year by 152 acres to 12,437 acres. The certified area increased for Lamoka (+409 acres) and Manistee (+112 acres), while acreage declined for several major chip varieties including Atlantic (-51 acres), Waneta (-7 acres), Snowden (-419 acres), and Dakota Pearl (-185 acres).
The certified area for Frito Lay varieties rose this year by 263 acres to 10,065 acres.
Michigan accepted 2,535 acres of potatoes for certified seed in 2022. That is 46 acres more than it approved from the 2021 crop, a 1.8% increase. That included 1,941 acres of seed for major chip potato varieties. The chip potato seed area increased by 117 acres, or 6.4%. The Manistee seed area increased by 66.5% to 432 acres. In contrast, other chip potato varieties, including Frito Lay varieties, Lamoka, Lady Liberty, and Snowden dropped between 15 and 66 acres. Frito-Lay varieties accounted for 46.2% of the chip potato seed area, and 35.3% of Michigan’s seed potato crop. Growers should be able to find enough seed to plant their 2023 crop.
U.S. packers shipped 1.565 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending December 24, 2022. That is up from 1.349 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan’s reported shipments totaled 53,000 cwt of potatoes during the week ending December 24. That is up from 44,300 cwt during the same week in 2021. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 86.1% russets, 5.1% yellow potatoes, 5.1% round white potatoes, and 3.7% red potatoes.
USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A Russets in 10-pound bags for $16-$17 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $14-$15 per 50# bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $26-$32 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $37.30 per cwt. That is unchanged from a week ago.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5# bales of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $19.50-$23 per bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $19-$23 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. Red River Valley packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for mostly $23-$26 per cwt, unchanged from last week.
– Report by North American Potato Market News