Colorado potato volume this season is expected to be about 14.8 hundredweight, about the same as last year.
Potatoes are the No. 1 produce item in terms of volume and dollar value in the Rocky Mountain state and ranks at or near the top of the nation’s fresh-market spud producers, according to the Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association of Eaton, CO.
The state produces more than 70 varieties of potatoes, many of which undergo evaluation at the Colorado State University research farm prior to being released for public consumption, notes the Colorado Potato Administration Committee of Monte Vista.
Growers produce russets, reds, yellows, fingerlings and other varieties.
The most popular selections are the new Reveille variety from Texas A&M University, russets, norkotahs and the purple majesty, which is purple inside and out.
Acreage is down about 2,000 acres because some growers cut back on planting. However, a lot of early rain and warm days should boost volume.
Colorado’s organic potato growers produce about 381,000 hundredweight.
Farm Fresh Direct of America of Monte Vista, CO started its late-summer crop of yellow and russet potatoes in mid August, which is normal.
It reports quality on both the golds and the russets looks very good.
The russets will be a bit larger than usual. About 15% typically weigh more than 10-ounces, but that figure will top 25% this year.
Harvesting of the company’s fall crop typically wraps up in early October.
Farm Fresh Direct of America ships conventional yellow and russet potatoes year-round, and this year it is offering organic red, gold and russet potatoes year-round with some help from sourcing partners. Overall yields should be up slightly this year.
Lenz Family Farms in Wray, CO, a 50-year-old company which grows yellow-flesh potatoes and expects to have the same volume as last year.
The company ships from August through February. The company ships primarily to customers in the southern part of the U.S.