Chip potato movement remains slow and steady ahead of the transition from Florida to North and South Carolina. Florida’s chip potato shipments reached 165,000 cwt last week. Strong Florida movement could continue through June. Rain and hot weather have caused some harvest challenges. Temperatures in north Florida have been in the mid-90s during the past two weeks. North Carolina growers are expected to start harvesting during the second week of June. Reports indicate that the Carolina crop is in good to excellent condition. The Missouri harvest typically gets underway by mid-June.
Michigan’s 2025 potato crop is in good condition. Emergence and crop development appear to be on schedule, or close to the five-year average. Cooler weather has slowed development during the past 10 days; however, warmer temperatures and plenty of sunshine are in the 10-day forecast. Buyout negotiations continue for surplus storage chip potatoes. Some growers started dumping potatoes a few weeks ago.
U.S. packers shipped 1.590 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending May 24. That is down from 1.781 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 25,058 cwt during the week ending May 24. That is down from 90,000 cwt shipped during the same week in 2024. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 84.7% russets, 11.7% round white potatoes, and 3.6% yellow 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 $20.50-$24.95 per box, up from $19.75-$24.95 per box a week ago. They are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for mostly $40-$41 per box, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $22-$23.90 per cwt, down from $32-$42.90 per cwt the previous week.
Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A round white potatoes for $24.95-$26 per box, down from $27.50-$32 per box a week ago.
-- Compiled by North American Potato Market News