Rain will likely slow Michigan’s potato harvest during the next few days. However, partly sunny skies and favorable temperatures are in state’s extended forecast. Reports indicate that 2026 crop quality is good, and yields are above average. Chip potato movement remains slow.
The USDA has revised 2025 potato production data for 10 of the 13 reporting states, including Michigan. The 2025 potato crop is now estimated at 417.59 million cwt. That is 4.73 million cwt more than the previous estimate. However, it is 3.58 million cwt less than the 2024 crop.
Production exceeded the January estimate in five states, and it fell below the January estimate in five states.
Production estimates for Colorado, Oregon, and Texas were unchanged.
For Michigan, USDA now reports that growers harvested 48,500 acres of potatoes in 2025. That is 1,000 acres more than the January estimate. The state’s 2025 yield estimate was revised downward by 15 cwt per acre, to 420 cwt per acre. Those changes reduced the 2025 crop estimate by 293,000 cwt. Michigan’s 2025 potato crop fell only 55,000 cwt, or 0.3%, short of 2024 production. The state’s combined shipments of table and chip potatoes from the 2025 crop exceeded year-earlier movement by 3.4%.
U.S. packers shipped 1.580 million cwt of table potatoes during the week ending Sept. 26. That is up from 1.566 million cwt shipped a year earlier. Michigan packers shipped 27,400 cwt during the week ending Sept. 26. That is up from 19,700 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, up from $21.68 per cwt the previous week.
— This report was compiled by North American Potato Market News (NAPMN) for the Michigan Potato Industry Commission