Michigan’s chip potato storages have been closed tightly during the past five weeks of extremely cold weather. That may lead to some storage and quality issues. Approximately half of the contracts for the 2026 chip potato crop have been settled. Several factors including increasing yields, smaller chip bag size, the impact of GLP-1s, and general economic conditions have resulted in contract volume reductions of at least 10% across the board. Growers have very little leverage this year, given the current supply situation. Reports suggest that contract prices are flat. Growers are concerned about elevated virus levels in seed potatoes. Chip potato crops in North Florida avoided significant frost damage. Most of those potatoes have not yet emerged. Though we have not been able to confirm yet, there may have been some crop damage in South and Central Florida where potatoes are planted earlier.
Chip
U.S. chip potato movement totaled 4.082 million cwt during the five weeks in January. That is 72,000 cwt, or 1.4%, less than the industry shipped during the same five-week period a year ago. It is 5.0% below the three-year average pace.
At 1.199 million cwt, Michigan’s chip potato shipments exceeded 2025 movement by 124,000 cwt, or 11.5%.
Wisconsin shipped 883,000 cwt during the month, 10.4% less than year-earlier movement.
Shipments from the West Coast region totaled 664,000 cwt, up 1.0%.
At 599,000 cwt, chip potato movement from the Rocky Mountain region and the Mid-Central region jumped by 19.8% and 14.1%, respectively.
Chip potato shipments from Maine increased by 22.7%, to 344,000 cwt.
The Red River Valley shipped 316,000 cwt during the period, 18.7% less than the previous year.
At 256,000 cwt, shipments from New York exceeded year-earlier movement by 13.5%.
Chip potato movement from the Southwest region dropped by 59.1%, to 216,000 cwt.
The Midwest region shipped 120,000 cwt during January, up 28.5%.
Chip potato movement from Pennsylvania increased by 30.1%, to 47,000 cwt. Season-to-date (August-January) reported chip potato shipments are running 11.3% behind the 2024/25 pace.
Fresh
U.S. packers shipped 1.719 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Jan. 31. That is up from 1.700 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 21,910 cwt during the week ending Jan. 31. That is down from 57,409 cwt shipped during the same week in 2025. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 79.6% russets, 11.7% round white potatoes, and 8.7% yellow potatoes.
USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for mostly $10-$11 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for $11-$12 per 50-pound bale, also unchanged. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for $7-$7.50 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for $10-$11 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $9.35 per cwt, unchanged from the previous week.
Red River Valley packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A yellow potatoes for $9.50-$12 per bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $11.50-$12.50 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. They are also selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for mostly $16-$17 per cwt, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling yellow creamers for $25-$30 per 50-pound carton, also unchanged.
– This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission.