Potato supply challenges persist in the Northwest. The bulk of Idaho harvesting will not begin until next week. Expect highly elevated markets and tight supplies to persist into September.

• As new crop potato harvesting begins in the Northwest, suppliers will start to fill potato cellars and pack “fresh-run” potatoes (potatoes that are harvested and packed right from the field, not a cellar)
• Fresh-run quality will be good, with occasional skinning and excess moisture on skins
  • Early pack-outs will be on the small side, dominated by 80- to 100-count stocks
  • Potatoes will release moisture as they cool, resulting in a light white surface residue that can easily be brushed off
  • The white residue dissipates as potatoes dry, posing no quality concerns
• New crop potatoes have not gone through the “sweat” process yet; this process allows field heat to leave potatoes, putting them in dormancy and preventing sprouting during early months of storage
• U.S. No. 2 potato grade supplies will be tight
  • No. 2 supplies will increase as potatoes are shipped out of storage
  • Expect elevated prices
• Expect new crop Idaho Burbank harvesting to begin in late September/early October; shipping out of storage will start in late October/early November
• Limited quantities of Texas potatoes are now being gathered; early harvests remain inadequate in size
• Colorado and Wisconsin production will begin in September

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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