The chip potato business has been steady. Overall, supplies appear to be balanced with demand. There has been some demand for open-market potatoes, with prices at contract levels. Increasing freight rates and transportation availability continue to be a challenge. Michigan’s storage potatoes will be cleaned up within the next 10 days. Reports indicate that quality has been good and yields are close to average for Florida’s chip potato crop. Georgia’s harvest began last week. Growers in South Carolina will likely begin harvesting this weekend. Strong yields are expected in North Carolina. Michigan growers have finished planting the 2026 potato crop, which is in good condition. The state experienced cooler weather during planting season; however, warmer temperatures are in the 10-day forecast.
New-crop chip potato movement has started picking up. Through May 23, reported new-crop shipments are up 12.8% from year-earlier movement. At 387,000 cwt, shipments from Florida are running 13.0% short of last year’s pace. New-crop shipments from the Southwest region total 384,000 cwt, compared to 148,000 cwt last year. New-crop chip potato movement from the West Coast region is down 4.9%, to 550,000 cwt. Shipments during the week ending May 23 totaled 243,530 cwt, compared to 337,269 cwt during the same week in 2025.
U.S. packers shipped 1.918 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending May 23. That is up from 1.642 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 61,276 cwt during the week ending May 23. That is up from 25,058 cwt shipped during the same week in 2025. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 92.9% russets, 4.2% round white potatoes, and 3.0% yellow 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 $9.28 per cwt, up from $7.88 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 $34-$40.90 per cwt, down from $40-$43 per cwt last week. Florida packers are selling yellow creamers for $35.95-$41 per 50-pound carton, unchanged from a week ago.
– This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission