Potatoes certainly are not the exotic item in the fresh produce industry for hauling, but they are safer to haul than most fruits and vegetables. Rates can be exceptionally low of potatoes that are competing against many other produce items in high volume farming areas when the competition for trucks is keen.
However, spuds can look pretty darn attractive to a trucker in dire need of a load, or in more remote areas where there is less compettion from other produce items or dry freight. This “hardware” item” also is more hardy, resulting in less quality issues – at least most of the time. This time of the year volume on many produce items is lower, if not existant than at some other times.
For those people investing in potatoes to make money at the farming end, it often is feast or famine. Too many years, overproduction of potatoes leads to low prices and investors losing money. However, every few years when those folks tire of losing money, the crop acreage is reduced and those remaining potentially hit some big time profits. The next thing you know, investors see the big profits and figure they can joint the “fun.”
This is one of those year when too many potatoes are out there – which means more loading opportunities for truckers.
The current potato crop is estimated to be at least 12 million hundred weight (cwt) than a year ago. There have been about nine percent more potatoes already shipped this season compared to the last one. The biggest percent of increases have come from the Red River Valley of North Dakota and Minnesota, as well as from Oregon and Wisconsin. However, when talking sheer volume, no one comes close to Idaho, which ahs already shipped 1.5 million more cwt. than a year ago.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $4200 to Atlanta.
Wisconsin potatoes – about $2850 to Dallas.
Grand Forks, ND potatoes – about $1800 to Chicago.