Above-average temperatures have slowed harvest progress in Michigan, Wisconsin, and other states. Cooler, more favorable weather conditions are forecast for the next week. That may give growers the window they need to wrap up. Table potato movement has been slow, especially for field delivery potatoes. Idaho’s extremely low prices have made it difficult to compete, even with the significant transportation differential.
Reported U.S. chip potato shipments totaled 3.515 million cwt during the four weeks in September. That is 63,000 cwt, or 1.8%, less than the industry shipped during the same period in 2024. Increased shipments from Michigan (+367,000 cwt) and Maine (+75,000 cwt) were offset by slower movement from the West Coast region (-210,000 cwt), the Southwest region (-102,000 cwt), the Rocky Mountain region (-99,000 cwt), the Midcentral region (-74,000 cwt), Pennsylvania (-24,000 cwt), and Wisconsin (-14,000 cwt). Season-to-date (August-September) reported chip potato shipments are running 6.0% behind the 2024 pace.
U.S. packers shipped 1.618 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Oct. 4. That is down slightly from 1.620 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 30,050 cwt during the week ending Oct. 4. That is down from 39,388 cwt shipped during the same week in 2024. Last week’s reported Michigan shipments were 88.0% russets, 10.5% yellow potatoes, and 1.5% red 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 $13-$14 per 50-pound box, compared to $12-$15 per 50-pound box a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for new-crop Idaho Russet Norkotahs is $12.05 per cwt, down from $12.28 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.
Wisconsin packers are selling 10/5-pound bales of size A red potatoes for $13-$14 per bale, unchanged from last week. They are selling 50-pound cartons of size A red potatoes for $11-$13.50 per 50-pound box, also unchanged.
– This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission.