It took a few weeks for digging potatoes to get back on schedule in the Red River VAlley following a mid-September heatwave, but fall weather is now well established.
Northland Potato Growers Association, East Grand Forks, MN reports favorable weather for the 300-mile valley in upper Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota.
Acreage was up in Minnesota this year and down in North Dakota.
Growers planted 74,000 acres of red and yellow potatoes in North Dakota, about 2,000 acres less than last year, and expected to produce about 24 million hundredweight — 9% less than in 2023. Minnesota growers look to harvest up to 46,000 acres, down about 100 acres from last year, and should dig about 19 million hundredweight, up 3.6% from 2023.
O.C. Schulz & Sons Inc., Crystal, N.D., started its harvest Sept. 10 but was putting digging on hold until the heat subsided.
The company plans to ship until early May, depending on crop size and demand, with an average to above-average crop with good quality.
NoKota Packers Inc., Buxton, N.D., had harvested 15% of its crop before shutting down temporarily during the heatwave, but it was not expected to affect the quality of the crop.
“The company expected a normal-size crop with about 75% red potatoes and 25% yellow.
Associated Potato Growers Inc., Grand Forks, N.D. reports potatoes could lose a little color after exposure to the hot sun, but is still optimistic for the overall crop.
The co-op expects volume to be up slightly this year because of good rainfall.
Although red potatoes account for the majority of Red River Valley spuds, yellows are gaining in popularity.
Ben Holmes Potato Inc., Becker, MN points out everyone in central Minnesota has increased their acreage and yellow potatoes now make up a big portion of the acres grown.
The company markets most of the potatoes produced by Peatland Reds Inc., Trail, MN., where growing conditions were mostly optimal this year, with timely rains and good weather.