The Canadian potato industry held 44.05 million cwt of potatoes in storage on May 1. That is 4.79 million cwt more than the 2025 inventory, a 12.2% increase. It is Canada’s largest May 1 potato inventory on record, and it exceeds the five-year average supply by 26.5%. Most of the extra potatoes are in Alberta. Stocks also exceed year-earlier holdings in Manitoba, Quebec, and British Columbia. May 1 stocks fell short of 2025 inventories in New Brunswick, PEI, and Ontario. Stocks intended for processing use are up 14.3% from last year. Table potato inventories are up 2.3%, while seed potato supplies are up 11.6%, relative to 2025.
Ontario’s April processing potato disappearance exceeded 2025 movement by 56.6%. That left the province with 1.46 million cwt of chip potatoes in storage on May 1, 173,000 cwt less than the province held a year earlier. It is Ontario's fourth largest May 1 inventory on record. At the April usage rate, the remaining chip potato supplies would last through July 4. Though we do not have precise data on Quebec’s chip potato inventory, May 1 processing potato stocks (chip and fry quality potatoes) totaled 1.94 million cwt. That is 64,000 cwt more than the 2025 supply, and it is Quebec’s second largest May 1 inventory on record. Planting has been delayed in several of the Canadian provinces. Growers are waiting for fields to dry out and for temperatures to warm up.
Higher freight costs appear to be giving some market leverage to fresh shippers closer to the east coast. Reduced shipments from Idaho and Florida have been offset by increased movement from several other areas including Wisconsin, the San Luis Valley, Michigan, the Red River Valley, and Nebraska/Northeast Colorado. Idaho still has a large supply of russet potatoes. Idaho marketers have reduced open-market Norkotah prices during the past several weeks, as they transition to shipping russet Burbanks.
U.S. packers shipped 1.683 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending May 16. That is up from 1.612 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 61,670 cwt during the week ending May 16. That is up from 32,600 cwt shipped during the same week in 2025. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 84.8% russets, 8.9% yellow potatoes, 6.0% round white potatoes, and 0.4% red 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 mostly $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 $7.88 per cwt, down from $8.29 per cwt the previous week.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $23-$29.95 per 50-pound box, unchanged from a week ago. They are also selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $40-$43 per cwt, also unchanged. Florida packers are selling yellow creamers for $35.95-$41 per 50-pound carton, unchanged from last week.
– This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission