Posts Tagged “russet potato shipments”

A Look at U.S. Onion and Potato Shipments

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DSCN7144South Texas onion shipments could be down at least 10 percent this season.  Plus, here’s an update on U.S. russet potato shipments.

A year ago Texas onion acreage had declined to less than 6,000 acres.  This year, under 5,000 acres are believed plantedL.

Last season it rained almost non-stop for two months, resulting in less than half a crop, while some growers were literally rained out for the season. Much acreage was abandoned and couldn’t be harvested.  The 2016 Texas onion harvest should get undeway in late March.

In late February, onion volume coming from Mexico and crossing the border in South Texas was lighter than normal, but it now showing substantial increases in volume.

Meanwhile, storage onions shipped from Idaho and Oregon warehouses will be declining soon.  Also, California’s Imperial Valley was the only area with good supplies in April  last year, but no estimates have been released on this area yet.

Potato Shipments

Russet potato shipments have been steady, with the vast majority coming from Idaho, Colorado, and Wisconsin.  Wisconsin russet shipments should continue until around mid-July.  At this time some Wisconsin potato shipments then buy and sell spuds from growers in mid-Southern states.

While volumes are similar to last year in Wisconsin, 2015-16 shipments will likely be up from the five-year average and up significantly from the average over the past couple of decades.

As always, Idaho easily lead U.S. potato shipments and is averaging about 1750 truckloads per week.  Colorado’s San Luis Valley is shipping about 750 truck loads of potatoes a week, while Central Wisconsin is loading about 400 truck loads each week.

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