Michigan growers have shipped 3.12 million cwt of chip potatoes since Aug. 1 compared to 3.96 million cwt during the same 16-week period in 2022. That is down 847,000 cwt, or 21.4%, from year-earlier movement. Chip potato movement from Wisconsin is down 10.9% from last year’s pace. Reported chip potato movement from New York is down 1.0%. On the other hand, shipments from Maine are up 39.5%. U.S. chip potato shipments totaled 16.33 million cwt during the same timeframe. That is 144,500 cwt, or 0.9% below year-earlier movement.
Thanksgiving table potato movement peaked last week. U.S. packers shipped 2.222 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Nov. 18. That is up from 2.045 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 91,345 cwt of potatoes during the week ending Nov. 18. That is up from 75,335 cwt during the same week in 2022. Last week’s Michigan shipments were 89.4% russets, 6.7% round whites, 2.0% yellows, and 1.9% reds.
USDA reports that Michigan packers are selling size A russets in 10-pound bags for $11.50-$16 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling size A russets in 5-pound bags for $12.50-$17 per 50-pound bale, also unchanged. Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $10-$11 per 50-pound bale, down from $11-$12 per 50-pound bale last week. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $11-$13.50 per 50-pound box, unchanged from a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $16.38 per cwt, down from $16.95 per cwt last week.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $16 per bale, unchanged from a week ago. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for mostly $16 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. Red River Valley packers are selling size A yellow potatoes in 2000-pound tote bags for mostly $22 per cwt, unchanged from last week. They are selling yellow creamers in 50-pound cartons for mostly $30 per 50-pound box, also unchanged.
– Report by North American Potato Market News