Florida has experienced two periods of below-freezing temperatures during the past two weeks. Some crops have been covered and uncovered twice already. They will likely remain covered, or need to be covered again, if temperatures plummet this weekend as they are currently forecasted to do. Crops are in various stages of development. Fields that have recently emerged can handle the covering and uncovering processes much better than earlier planted varieties. Growers will likely get a head start with fungicide applications as soon as the weather warms up. Most chip potatoes are planted a week or two behind table potato varieties. Nevertheless, cold weather may have delayed crop development by 10 to 14 days. In addition, the massive snowstorm covering much of the country has disrupted and delayed trucking. Southern growers are having a difficult time getting seed delivered from the northern growing areas. In Michigan, temperatures dropped below zero late last week. The state has experienced heavy snowfall this week, along with extremely cold temperatures which are forecast to remain for the next several days.
U.S. packers shipped 1.740 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Jan. 24. That is up from 1.675 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 63,767 cwt during the week ending Jan. 24. That is down from 105,043 cwt shipped during the same week in 2025. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 75.3% russets, 15.5% yellow potatoes, and 9.2% round white 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.