The Michigan potato harvest is nearly complete. Only a handful of growers are still digging. Though rain is forecast later this week, temperatures are expected to remain above freezing. Reports indicate that yields, quality, and recovery rates are slightly above average for Michigan’s 2026 chip potato crop. There is no demand for open potatoes. Contract discussions have begun for the 2027 crop. Contract volume reductions are likely. Growers are looking for price increases to cover rising production costs and freight rates.
Open-market russet table potato prices continue to climb. The Idaho Grower Returns Index increased to $10.11 per cwt last week. That is 258% above the year earlier GRI, $2.82 per cwt. Early-season russet table potato prices are the second highest on record, behind 2022. GRIs are up significantly in each of the major russet shipping regions. Idaho table potato movement continues to fall short of last year’s pace. Idaho’s shipments reached 762,000 cwt during the week ending October 24, down 7.0% from the previous year. On the other hand, russet sales from several other areas are running ahead of last year’s pace.
U.S. packers shipped 1.658 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Oct. 24. That is down from 1.674 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 25,829 cwt during the week ending Oct. 24. It compares to 30,350 cwt shipped during the same week in 2025. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 96.2% russets, 3.4% yellow potatoes, and 0.3% red potatoes.
Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $9 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $22 per 50-pound box, compared to $19-$21 per 50-pound box a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho russet Norkotahs is $24.13 per cwt, up from $23.25 per cwt the previous week.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A yellow potatoes for $16.50-$18.50 per bale. They are also selling 50-pound cartons of size A yellow potatoes for $17-$18 per 50-pound box. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size B yellow potatoes for $13-$15 per 50-pound box.
— This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission