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Weekly Potato Report
From the Michigan Potato Industry Commission
February 22, 2012
USDA reports that the 13 storage states held 186.9 million cwt of potatoes on February 1. That exceeded year-earlier holdings by 6.6 million cwt, or 3.7%. All of the extra potatoes are located in the West, primarily in the Pacific Northwest. Reported inventories in the Pacific Northwest were up 8.1 million cwt from last year. All of the extra potatoes in that region are committed either to fryers, dehydrators, or chip manufacturers, though there is some question as to how much each of those sectors controls. Both fryers and dehydrators are trying to buy potatoes away from each other, and from the table potato sector.
USDA indicates that Michigan growers held 4.7 million cwt of potatoes in storage on February 1. That is 1.2 million cwt less than they held a year earlier, a 20.3% decline. The adjustments that USDA has made to Michigan stocks brought the Potato Stocks report into much better agreement with information coming out of the state that was the case earlier in the season. Michigan's December-January disappearance increased to 3.9 million cwt, from 3.4 million cwt last year.
Observers are questioning data reported by USDA that indicates increases in stocks, relative to last year, for Minnesota and Wisconsin. Table potato stocks are up from last year in Wisconsin, but chipstock inventories are no larger than they were in 2011, and fryers are reporting a major shortfall in raw-product inventories, in both states. USDA has had problems getting its arms around the raw product shortfall faced by both the processing and chip potato industries, this year.
Chip potato markets are quiet. Buyers have set their strategies to get through the storage season, and start running potatoes from the 2012 crop. Shipments from Michigan have backed off, as a result. All of the remaining Michigan potatoes will be cleaned up early, but markets should remain quiet unless problems develop with crops in either Florida or Texas.
US fresh potato shipments for the week ending February 18 totaled 1.77 million cwt, compared to 1.86 million cwt a year earlier. Michigan shipped 28,200 cwt of table potatoes during the week ending February 18, compared to 39,700 cwt a year earlier. The Michigan shipments were 53.9% Russets and 46.1% Round White potatoes. Size A Michigan Russets are selling for mostly $1.90-$2.15 per 10# bag, unchanged for the week. Wisconsin shippers are selling non-size A Russets for $8.25-$9.00 per 5/10# bale, unchanged from this time last week. Wisconsin 40-70, count cartons are selling for mostly $11.00 per 50# box, also unchanged for the week. The weighted average price for Idaho Norkotahs climbed to $14.73 per cwt, up from $14.31 per cwt a week earlier.
Michigan Size A Round White potatoes are selling for mostly $1.80-$2.00 per 10# bag, the same as this time last week. Maine packers are selling two inch minimum Round White potatoes for $1.90-$2.10 per 10# bag, also unchanged for the week.
This information comes from Bruce Huffaker, North American Potato Market News. This weekly newsletter has more complete potato market information. For subscription information, call (208) 525-8397, fax (208) 525-8569, write PO Box 135, Shelley ID 83274, or e-mail napmn@napmn.com.
This Weekly Potato Report includes current Michigan grower issues, in depth market news, and other time sensitive information. This report contains market sensitive information and your candor in using this information is appreciated. Your comments and suggestions are vital to improving this report and other services.
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FOR SALE
42" Betterbuilt seed cutter - $10000
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