From Idaho to Washington State, Wisconsin and Colorado, potato harvests have finished or are very close being complete, according to Markon Cooperative of Salinas, CA.
In Idaho, Norkotah supplies of larger potatoes remain tight due to average to slightly below-average yields and demand from processors.
Separate reporting indicates that Idaho growers have experienced lower yields and smaller size profiles following frost, heat, warm nights, and wildfire smoke. The Idaho Potato Commission estimates planted acreage at approximately 298,916 acres, around 13,000 acres less than the previous year.
Washington reports a range of potato sizes, although demand for larger tubers is keeping market prices elevated. In Wisconsin, growers completed harvest in mid-October, while Colorado’s remaining harvest was expected to take another one to two weeks.
Despite ongoing harvesting, availability varies by size, grade, and origin. Larger russet potatoes remain more difficult to source for foodservice buyers requiring specific count sizes.
As harvesting concludes, attention will shift to storage conditions, packout rates, and the availability of potatoes meeting market specifications.