Potato Shipments Estimated Down 5%, but Plenty of Loads Remain

Potato Shipments Estimated Down 5%, but Plenty of Loads Remain

DSCN2123 U.S. potato shipments from the fall crop, which will be shipped well into next summer,  is down 5 percent from 2012, but never fear, there are still plenty of spuds for hauling.

Idaho’s 2013 potato production is an estimated 132.9 million hundredweight (cwt) , down 6.3 percent from a year ago. In Washington, the crop is estimated at 96 million, up less than 1 percent.  Wisconsin’s estimated potato production for the year is 27.9 million hundredweight, down 5.2 percent, and Oregon’s estimate is 21.6 million, down 5.9 percent. Colorado this year is down 1.5 percent to 20.3 million, and Michigan is up 5.4 percent to 16.8 million.

North Dakota’s 2013 potato crop will come in at 22.6 million cwt, down about 10.1 percent from last year.  Some were forecasting shipments to be down more than double from last year.

Minnesota potato production dropped from 18.8 million hundredweight in 2012 to 17.5 million this year, a drop of just under 7 percent.

While Idaho potato shipments, and to a lesser extent, Washington state move a significant amount of tubers via the railroads, most shipping areas do not have access to rails.  Most produce shipped by rail establish their shipping costs based on truck rates, and the rails tend to under cut those rates.

Meanwhile, trucks continue for the most part to deliver faster and better service, that includes providing a lot more flexibility.

Central Wisconsin potatoes  – grossing about $3000 to Atlanta.

Idaho potatoes – about $5500 to New York City.