Posts Tagged “potato shipping states”
The 13 largest potato shipping states in the U.S. had 67.4 million cwt. (per hundred weight) left in storage on June 1, up 6 pecent compared to the same time last year.
This is however, is 16 percent of the total 2018 production, the same percentage as the June 1, 2018, stocks remaining in storage from the 2017 harvest, according to the USDA’s monthly potato stocks report.
The 2018 production in the 13 states was also larger, at 420.1 million cwt., up from 2017 production of 406.8 million cwt.
Idaho, which leads overall shipments and potatoes in storage throughout the year, had 29 million cwt. in storage on June 1, which at 21 percent of the season’s production, is comparable to the 21 percent left at the same time in 2018, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service report.
The top states, their 2018 shipments, and remaining potatoes as of June 1, along with the same numbers from 2017, were:
- Idaho — 2018: 140.2 million cwt., 29 million cwt. (21 percent); 2017: 134.9 million cwt., 27 million cwt. (20 percent);
- Washington — 2018: 105.6 million cwt., 17 million cwt. (16 percent); 2017: 99.2 million cwt., 13 million cwt. (13 percent);
- Wisconsin — 2018: 28.4 million cwt., 4.6 million cwt. (16 percent); 2017: 29.8 million cwt., 5.5 million cwt. (18 percent);
- Oregon — 2018: 28.1 million cwt., 4.5 million cwt. (16 percent); 2017: 25.2 million cwt., 3.5 million cwt. (14 percent); and
- North Dakota — 2018: 23.4 million cwt., 2.8 million cwt. (12 percent); 2017: 24.4 million cwt., 4 million cwt. (16 percent).
Twin Falls, Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5400 to New York City.
Here’s a round up of loading opportunities from three leading potato shipping states — Idaho, Colorado and Wisconsin.
Idaho Potato Shipments
Most of Idaho’s potatoes are grown and shipped from the eastern part of the state. Loadings got off to a slower start than hoped for this season, but are now picking up. Acreage is believed to be up about 8,000 acres and that has a lot of shippers in other areas of the country gnashing their teeth because prices are in the tank. So there will be no shortage of spuds for hauling this season out of Idaho — unless something major like the late blight virus hits. Idaho, easily is the nation’s largest potato shipper. It is currently moving about 1,700 truckload equivalents per week – and would be shipping even more product, if there was not a shortage of trucks.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5800 to New York City; $3200 to Chicago.
Colorado Potato Shipments
In the San Luis Valley of Colorado, there has been an eight percent increase in acreage this season, or about 5,000 acres more by some estimates. The state as a whole has about 60,200 acres of spuds in the ground, of which about 54,200 acres is in the San Luis Valley. Shipments of mostly russets are underway. Colorado is averaging about 300 truckloads of potatoes being shipped a week, but volume is expected to increase.
Colorado potatoes – grossing about $2300 to San Antonio.
Wisconsin Potato Shipments
About 500 truckload equivalents of potatoes are being shipped from Central Wisconsin each week.
Wisconsin potatoes – grossing about $3150 to Atlanta.
U.S. potato shipments from the old crop are still on going as the new season rapidly approaches. Plus, Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipments in Colorado are now underway..
Idaho and a number of other potato shipping states are scrambling to unload their old crop in order to get going on shipments for the 2014-15 season. The old crop of potato shipments is expected to continue well into August. At the same time, depending on the growing and shipping area, the new crop of spuds became available last week. Both Washington and Oregon are expected to have their first potatoes for the new season by early August, while Wisconsin potato shipments will soon follow. Then you have Idaho russet potatoes being shipped by the week of August 10th. Some red potatoes and other varieties have already started out of Washington state.
Colorado Cantaloupe Shipments
A spring freeze and two major hailstorms will have a significant effect on Colorado’s Rocky Ford cantaloupe shipments, leaving farmers uncertain over how big their crops will be this year. One grower is reported to have lost an estimated 60 acres of the 360 acres of cantaloupes that he planted this spring. Just how much yields will off set the weather damaged melons, remains to been seen. Loadings of cantaloupe started last week and will continue into September. Overall, it is estimated anywhere for 15 to 25 percent of the cantaloupe were lost. The area also ships honeydew and watermelon, but no reports on these items were available.
Arkansas Valley growers banded together in 2011 to trademark the Rocky Ford cantaloupe name and define its boundaries after melons from Jensen Farms in Holly, 90 miles east of Rocky Ford, were implicated in a listeria outbreale that killed at least 32 people.
Over the past decade, Colorado growers have planted an annual average of 2,000 acres of cantaloupes.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5500 to New York City.
There still will be a lot of potatoes for hauling this season which will extend into next summer despite the fall crop in the United States being down 5 percent compared to 2012.
Here’s a glimpse of the leading potato shipping states:
Idaho 132.9 million hundred weight (cwt)., down 6.3 percent; Washington 96 million, up less than 1 percent; Wisconsin 27.9 million, down 5.2 percent; Oregon 21.6 million, down 5.9 percent; Colorado 20.3 million, down 1.5 percent; Michigan 16.8 million, up 5.4 percent.
Idaho potatoes – grossing about $5400 to New York City.
Washington Potato Shipments
Year to date, loadings have been running a little ahead of schedule compared to recent years.
Most of this is due to early season shipments in July and August when potato supplies were very short across the country. Washington’s fresh producers account for 26,000 acres of the 160,000 acres of potatoes in the Evergreen State. About half of that total are russet potatoes, and the other half is a mix of reds, yellows, whites and other specialty potatoes.
Washington state, Columbia Basin potatoes – grossing about $4800 to Atlanta.
Red River Valley Potato Shipments
The North Dakota potato crop will come in at 22.6 million cwt. down about 10.1 percent from last year. Some folks were forecasting shipments to be down 25 to 30 percent at one point.
81,000 acres were planted in North Dakota compared to 88,000 last year, and harvested acres dipped from 84,000 last year to 78,000 this year.
Potato production in Minnesota dropped from 18.8 million cwt. in 2012 to 17.5 million this year, a drop of just under 7 percent. All but 2,000 of the 47,000 planted acres planted in Minnesota were harvested.
Red River Valley potatoes – grossing about $1900 to Chicago.