The 2026 potato harvest is wrapping up across the US. Most growers in Idaho, and the San Luis Valley will finish digging by the end of the week. Rain slowed harvest progress in the Red River Valley, but many growers will be able to wrap up this week or early next week. In Wisconsin, most growers should be able to finish this week. However, some fresh shippers will likely stretch out the tail end of the harvest and ship directly from the field, due to the favorable weather.
Harvest conditions in Michigan have been nearly perfect. Some growers report that this year’s potato crop is one of the best they have ever produced. They are pleased with both yields and quality.
Reported U.S. chip potato shipments totaled 3.303 million cwt during the four weeks in September. That is 212,000 cwt, or 6.0%, less than the industry shipped during the same period in 2025. Increased shipments from the Southwest region (+103,000 cwt), Michigan (+45,000 cwt), the Midcentral region (+21,000 cwt), Wisconsin (+7,000 cwt), and the Rocky Mountain region (+7,000 cwt) were offset by slower movement from Maine (-122,000 cwt), New York (-95,000 cwt), the Red River Valley (-85,000 cwt), the West Coast region (-48,000 cwt), Pennsylvania (-35,000 cwt), and the Midwest region (-17,000 cwt). Season-to-date (August-September) reported chip potato shipments are running 19.9% behind the 2025 pace.
U.S. packers shipped 1.546 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Oct. 3. That is down from 1.664 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 30,000 cwt during the week ending Oct. 3. That is down from 32,750 cwt shipped during the same week in 2025. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 100% russets.
Wisconsin packers are selling size A russet potatoes in 10-pound bags for mostly $10 per 50-pound bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling Russet 40-70 count cartons for mostly $20 per 50-pound box, also unchanged. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $21.81 per cwt, unchanged from the previous week.
— This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission