The 2025 potato harvest is nearly complete across the U.S. Harvest conditions have been mostly favorable, though high temperatures have slowed progress in some areas. Many growers have already finished digging. Others will wrap up this week. Growers in several states are looking for extra storage space, due to the combination of strong yields and slow early-season movement. They may have to wait to harvest until storage becomes available, or until they can ship directly from the field.
Russet table potato supplies have increased significantly, due to strong yields in each of the major russet shipping regions. In general, the size profile is larger than last year. Quality is also better than it was a year ago. The Idaho Russet Grower Returns Index dropped to $2.74 per cwt, last week. That is about one-third of the field-run breakeven price, according to our annual cost of production estimates. Table potato shippers across the country are struggling to compete with those prices.
U.S. packers shipped 1.546 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Oct. 11. That is down from 1.644 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 23,800 cwt during the week ending Oct. 11. That is down from 41,967 cwt shipped during the same week in 2024. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 90.5% russets, and 9.5% yellow potatoes.
Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for $7-$9 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for $12-$15 per 50-pound box, down from $13-$14 per 50-pound box a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for new-crop Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $11.58 per cwt, down from $12.05 per cwt the previous week.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A yellow potatoes for $14-$17 per bale, unchanged from last week. They are also selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $14-$17 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size B Yellow potatoes for mostly $11 per 50-pound box, unchanged from a week ago.
– This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission.