Posts Tagged “U.S. potato shipments”
U.S. potato shipments will be down 6 percent for the 2019 – 2020 season, according to the first forecast of the year from the USDA.
Total production for 2019 is forecast at 422 million cwt., down 6 percent from 2018.
The harvested acreage for 2019 is estimated at 938,900 acres, down 7 percent from 1.01 million acres last year.
The yield forecast, at 450 cwt. per acre, is up 7 cwt. compared with the 2018 crop.
Potato growers in Idaho had crop losses due to freezing temperatures in late September and early October, with several growers leaving potatoes in the ground, avoiding the cost of harvest.
Washington growers had some quality concerns due to soilborne issues and freeze damage at the end of the harvest season.
Endless rains in late September and early October hampered harvest in the Red River Valley in North Dakota.
The potato estimate put harvested acreage in North Dakota at 59,000 acres, down 19 percent compared with last year. Total output in North Dakota was 20.9 million cwt. down 12 percent compared with 2018.
The Idaho potato crop is estimated at 133.9 million cwt., off about 6 percent from 141.8 million cwt. a year ago.
Total shipments of U.S. potatoes the week of Nov. 3-9 totaled 3.67 million 50-pound carton, down 23 percent from 4.74 million 50-pound cartons a year ago.
California strawberry shipments are on track to break another record this season….New Mexico onion shipments are going strong….There’s a lot more potatoes remaining in U.S. storages for shipping compared to last year.
While it may be too early to tell whether California will have its third record year of strawberry shipments, if volume shipped mostly by truck in early June is any indication, it could be another one for the books.
There were plenty of supplies for shipments leading up to the Fourth of July. Loadings for Labor Day and beyond are looking to be just as good as shipments are way ahead of a year ago.
As of the week ending June 2, the state’s growers had harvested 82.3 million trays of strawberries.
A year ago, that figure was about 79 million trays, and two years ago the number also was in that range. Naturipe Farms LLC of Salinas, CA is experiencing record volume and record production.
Salinas Valley strawberries and vegetables – grossing about $8900 to New York City.
New Mexico Onion Shipments
While the New Mexico onion volume estimate will not come out until August, strong volume is expected again this year. Shipments have been occurring since May and are now averaging about 875 truck loads per week. Loadings will continue through August and this time of the year has typically provided the most onion shipments in the U.S. Carzalia Valley Produce Inc. of Columbus, N.M. and Billy the Kid Produce LLC of Deming, N.M are both experiencing a normal shipping season.
New Mexico onions – grossing about $4000 to Chicago.
U.S. Potato Shipments
There are 9 percent more potatoes remaining to be shipped in U.S. storages than at this same time a year ago.
The top producing potato states had 59 million cwt. of potatoes in storage June 1.
The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports 15 percent of the fall 2017 crop was still in storage at the beginning of the month, which is 2 percentage points more than last season.
The top three potato shipping states, and the percent of their 2017 fall crop production left in storage, are:
- Idaho — 23 million cwt. (18 percent)
- Washington — 13 million cwt. (13 percent)
- Wisconsin — 5.3 million cwt. (18 percent)
Potato shipments from the Red River Valley of North Dakota, the nation’s largest red potato growing area, should be the largest in more than decade.The North Dakota potato shipments are forecast at 27.2 million hundredweight (cwt.), or 3.3 million cwt. more than 2014, a 14 percent increase. It is the largest North Dakota potato crop since 2003.
More planted acres and higher yields are being attributed to the big crop. 82,000 acres were planted to potatoes in 2015, 3,000 more than in 2014. The average yield in the state, a combination of irrigated and dryland crops, was 340 cwt. per acre smashing the old record by 25 cwt./acre set just last year.
Minnesota Potato Shipments
The November estimate has the Minnesota potato crop at 18.48 million cwt., up just over 2 million cwt. from last year or a 12.7 percent increase. The average yield in Minnesota was also up sharply from last year at 420 cwt. per acre, compared to 400 last year. Red River Valley potato shipments typically have tight truck supplies every season.
U.S. Potato Shipments
The estimates for the U.S. 2015-16 season is at 408.6 million cwt., up nearly 5 million cwt. compared to last year. Unusually high yields in many states contributed to the increase. Record yields were reported in North Dakota, Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin, and near record yields in several other states. On the flip side, summer heat took the top off yields in the Northwest, particularly in Idaho, the nation’s biggest potato shipper by far.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5600 to New York City.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $1700 to Chicago.
If there’s any doubt Idaho is the king of potato shippers, consider the state is home to about 600 farms which grow potatoes for the fresh market and process.
Overall, potatoes are grown on approximately 324,000 aces, and will ship about 13 billion pounds of potatoes this season. That would fill about 500 football stadiums 10 feet high.
By early September, 50 percent of the potato harvest in western Idaho had been completed. The eastern side of the state was facing greater challenges with a lot of moisture and heat. Harvesting will finish in mid-October, with quality looking good.
Approximately 40 percent of Idaho potato shipments go to the fresh market.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5100 to Philadelphia.
U.S. Potato Shipments for 2014-15
About 442 million cwt. of potatoes were produced in the U.S. in 2014, 2 percent more than in 2013.
Table stock (fresh) shipments accounted for about 107 million cwt. of that total.
About 1.05 million acres of potatoes were harvested in the U.S. in 2014, up slightly from 2013.
The average yield last season, 421 cwt. per acre, was 7 percent higher than in 2013.
While production was up in 2014, prices were lower. The value of the 2014 crop was about $3.66 billion, down 7% from 2013. The average price, $8.88 per cwt., was 87 cents lower than the price for spuds harvested in 2013.
Of the 442 million cwt. total, 404 million cwt. were harvested in the fall.
U.S. potato shipments from the old crop are still on going as the new season rapidly approaches. Plus, Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipments in Colorado are now underway..
Idaho and a number of other potato shipping states are scrambling to unload their old crop in order to get going on shipments for the 2014-15 season. The old crop of potato shipments is expected to continue well into August. At the same time, depending on the growing and shipping area, the new crop of spuds became available last week. Both Washington and Oregon are expected to have their first potatoes for the new season by early August, while Wisconsin potato shipments will soon follow. Then you have Idaho russet potatoes being shipped by the week of August 10th. Some red potatoes and other varieties have already started out of Washington state.
Colorado Cantaloupe Shipments
A spring freeze and two major hailstorms will have a significant effect on Colorado’s Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipments, leaving farmers uncertain over how big their crops will be this year. One grower is reported to have lost an estimated 60 acres of the 360 acres of cantaloupes that he planted this spring. Just how much yields will off set the weather damaged melons, remains to been seen. Loadings of cantaloupe started last week and will continue into September. Overall, it is estimated anywhere for 15 to 25 percent of the cantaloupe were lost. The area also ships honeydew and watermelon, but no reports on these items were available.
Arkansas Valley growers banded together in 2011 to trademark the Rocky Ford cantaloupe name and define its boundaries after melons from Jensen Farms in Holly, 90 miles east of Rocky Ford, were implicated in a listeria outbreale that killed at least 32 people.
Over the past decade, Colorado growers have planted an annual average of 2,000 acres of cantaloupes.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5500 to New York City.