Rain slowed planting in Michigan late last week; however, planting is ahead of the five-year average pace. The seven-day forecast is calling for nearly ideal weather. That should give most growers the window they need to wrap things up.
Planting is running behind last year’s pace in several key growing regions, except in the PNW where planting is slightly ahead of schedule. Reports indicate that over 55% of Wisconsin’s potatoes have been planted, which is 9 days behind last year but close to average. In Minnesota, growers had planted 23% of their potatoes by the end of last week, compared to 33% a year ago. The situation in North Dakota is similar. Reports indicate that 14% of that state’s potatoes were planted by May 4, versus 17% last year. In the San Luis Valley, 20% of this year’s potato crop had been planted by the end of last week, which is behind last year and the 5-year average. Approximately 66% of Idaho’s potatoes had been planted by last weekend, compared to 56% last year. Planting is also running ahead of schedule in Washington and Oregon.
April U.S. chip potato shipments fell 10.1% short of year-earlier movement. At 4.00 million cwt, that is 449,000 cwt less than the industry shipped during April 2024. Reduced shipments from Wisconsin (-207,000 cwt), the Southwest region (-170,000 cwt), and the West Coast region (-92,000 cwt) were the largest factors in this year’s downturn. Michigan (-53,000 cwt), Florida (-43,000 cwt), the Mid-Central region (-32,000 cwt), and Pennsylvania (-13,000 cwt) also posted slower movement during April. In contrast, April chip potato movement from the Red River Valley (+101,000 cwt) and Maine (+63,000 cwt) exceeded the 2024 pace. Shipments from the Rocky Mountain region and New York nearly matched year-earlier movement. U.S. chip potato shipments for the season (August-April), total 38.00 million cwt. That is 3.47 million cwt less than year-earlier movement, an 8.4% decline.
At 682,000 cwt, Michigan’s April chip potato shipments fell 7.2% short of last year’s pace. The state’s reported chipstock shipments, season-to-date (August-April), are running 998,000 cwt behind year-earlier movement, a 13.1% decline.
U.S. packers shipped 1.492 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending May 3. That is down from 1.643 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 39,880 cwt during the week ending May 3. That is down from 43,574 cwt shipped during the same week in 2024. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 70.7% russets, 26.0% yellow potatoes, and 3.4% round white potatoes.
The USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $10-$11 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. 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 $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 $14.21 per cwt, down from $14.48 per cwt the previous week.
Red River Valley packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for mostly $19-$21 per cwt, unchanged from last week. Florida packers are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $20-$26.25 per box, down from $23.70-$26.25 per box a week ago. They are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for $35-$42.90 per box, unchanged from last week. They are also selling size A yellow potatoes in 2,000-pound tote bags for $35-$40.90 per cwt, down from $35-$42.90 per cwt the previous week.
– Report by North American Potato Market News