During the 2011-12 shipping season, truckers hauled nealy 35,000 truckload 
loads of Colorado potatoes to destinations thoughout the USDA. The Rocky Mountain state has started shipments for the 2012-13 season, although volume is very light.
Harvesting began in August with some farming operations, but others are just getting underway with digging potatoes. San Luis Valley potato acreage is up slightly this year and totals 55,100 acres. While this is certainly significant, it doesn’t compare to th 72,000 acres planted a decade ago. 70 years ago colo had 175 grower/shippers. now there are about 20. although fewer, they are much larger operations.
Some growers started harvesting in August, and others are beginning in early-to-mid September, depending on location and conditions.
The San Luis Valley produces 92% of Colorado’s potatoes, with the remaining spuds coming primarily from the Greeley area. Colorado is ranked in the top five potato producing areas in the USA, both in acres planted and production. Colorado is the number 2 fresh potato shipper in the country.
Location of the San Luis Valley is south, central CO. It is found southwest of Pueblo, CO, with the heart of its potato shipments coming from the Monte Vista and Center, CO area.
85% of the valley’s potatoes are russets, although it produces about 60 different variets of potatoes in all.