Michigan growers are optimistic about this year’s potato crop. Temperatures have been hot during the past week, but parts of the state received rain yesterday and more rain is in the forecast for today and tomorrow. Overall, Michigan’s potato crop is in good or excellent condition. Crop development is a little ahead of schedule. Chip potatoes in Southwest Michigan could be ready to ship during the third week of July, if needed.
Heat and rain have impacted chip potato shipments from the Atlantic states. Some areas have received 8-10 inches of rain. Yields and quality have been variable for the North Carolina crop, with some fields above average and some below average. The state shipped 211,00 cwt of chip potatoes last week. The chip potato harvest is underway in Georgia. Missouri’s potato crop also has experienced heavy rainfall and high temperatures. Buyers indicate that chipstock supplies are more balanced with demand than they have been during the past several months.
The USDA reports that growers in the storage states held 57.90 million cwt of potatoes on June 1. That is 4.80 million cwt less than those same states had in storage a year earlier, a 7.7% reduction. That matches the five-year average June 1 potato inventory. April-May potato disappearance totaled 72.50 million cwt. That fell 3.20 million cwt short of the 2024 pace, a 4.2% downturn.
The USDA put Michigan’s June 1 potato stocks at 700,000 cwt. That is 300,000 cwt less than the state’s year-earlier holdings. At 3.3 million cwt, April-May disappearance fell 100,000 cwt, or 2.9%, short of year-earlier movement. The state’s chip potato supplies are nearly cleaned up. Chip potato shipments increased by 41,000 cwt, or 2.9%, relative to last year. On the other hand, table potato movement dropped 154,000 cwt, or 28.6%, below year-earlier shipments.
U.S. packers shipped 1.508 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending June 21. That is down from 1.572 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 32,000 cwt during the week ending June 21. That is down from 45,595 cwt shipped during the same week in 2024. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 74.7% russets, 18.3% yellow potatoes, and 7.0% round white potatoes.
Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for $9-$11 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for $14-$15 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $13.06 per cwt, up from $12.73 per cwt the previous week.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $20.50-$24.95 per box, down from $21.75-$22.50 per box last week. They are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for mostly $40-$40.95 per box, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $40-$43.90 per cwt, up from $38-$40 per cwt a week ago.
-- Compiled by North American Potato Market News