Storms in Wisconsin and northern Michigan have shuffled chip potato shipments during the past week. Overall, movement remains steady. Shrink continues to accumulate for the storage crop. Supplies could tighten up by the time harvest begins in the southeast. Contract volumes were cut significantly in the southern growing regions. Reports indicate that some growers in south Florida are storing chip potatoes in the ground. Those potatoes are small, due to below freezing temperatures near the end of the growing season. Crops in north Florida are expected to be close to average. Most chip potato contracts have been settled. Contract volumes are down around 10%. Prices are flat-to-down a few percentage points.
U.S. packers shipped 1.785 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending March 14. That is up from 1.705 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 43,875 cwt during the week ending March 14. That is down from 64,641 cwt shipped during the same week in 2025. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 89.3% russets, 9.4% round white potatoes, and 1.3% yellow potatoes.
Prices have been flat during the past several weeks. 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 mostly $10 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $8.91 per cwt, unchanged from the previous week.
Red River Valley packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A yellow potatoes for $12-$14 per bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes $12-$13 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. They are also selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $16-$18 per cwt, unchanged from last week. Red River Valley packers are selling yellow creamers for $25-$30 per 50-pound carton, also unchanged.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A round white potatoes for $31.50-$33.75 per box, unchanged from last week. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size B round white potatoes for $22.25-$25.75 per box, also unchanged. They are also selling round white creamers for $40-$46 per 50-pound carton, up from $35.95-$45.95 per 50-pound carton a week ago.
– This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission.