Reported U.S. chip potato movement during the five weeks in May totaled 4.375 million cwt. That is 1.149 million cwt less than the industry shipped during the same period the previous year, a 20.8% reduction. Reduced shipments from Wisconsin (-593,000 cwt), the West Coast region (-250,000 cwt), the Mid-Central region (-205,000 cwt), and the Southwest region (-166,000 cwt) offset increased shipments from Maine (+206,000 cwt) and the Red River Valley (+48,000 cwt). The Rocky Mountain region (-92,000 cwt) and the Midwest region (-87,000 cwt) also reported reduced movement during May. On the other hand, chip potato shipments from Michigan, Florida, and New York nearly matched 2024 movement during the same five-week period. U.S. chip potato shipments, season-to-date (Aug. 1 through May 31), totaled 42.380 million cwt. That is 3.728 million cwt, or 8.1%, less than year-earlier movement.
At 742,000 cwt, Michigan’s May chip potato shipments fell just 6,000 cwt short of year-earlier movement. However, May shipments exceeded the 5-year average pace by 58.7%. The state’s chipstock shipments, season-to-date, are running 913,000 cwt, or 11.0%, behind last year’s pace.
U.S. packers shipped 1.372 million cwt of table potatoes during the holiday-shortened week ending May 31. That is down from 1.421 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 19,119 cwt during the week ending May 31. That is down from 53,358 cwt shipped during the same week in 2024. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 85.9% russets, 9.4% yellow potatoes, and 4.7% 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 $13.50-$15 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $13.32 per cwt, unchanged from the previous week.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $21.50-$24.95 per box, up from $20.50-$24.95 last week. They are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for mostly $40-$40.95 per box, also unchanged. They are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $38-$43.90 per cwt, up from $36-$43.90 per cwt the previous week.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A round white potatoes for $24.95-$26 per box, unchanged from a week ago
-- Compiled by North American Potato Market News