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.