mi-press-releases News Release NR-12-77 November 9, 2012 U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Michigan Field Office Michigan Department of Agriculture Post Office Box 30239 Lansing, MI 48909-6248 Phone: (517) 324-5300 Facsimile: (517) 324-5299 E-mail: nass-mi@nass.usda.gov Web site: www.nass.usda.gov Jay V. Johnson, Director Michigan Potato Production Michigan's 2012 potato crop was forecast to be 16.3 million hundredweight (cwt), nearly 8 percent higher than a year ago, according to Jay Johnson, Director of the USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office. Planted acres, at 47,500, increased 2,500 acres from last year. Harvested acres, at 46,000, was up 2,000 acres from 2011. Average yield, forecasted at 355 cwt per acre, was 10 cwt higher than the previous year. The first potato stocks estimate for the 2012 crop year will be released December 14, 2012. Nationally, production of fall potatoes for 2012 is forecast at 422 million cwt, up 8 percent from 2011. Area harvested, at 991,500 acres, is slightly above the previous forecast and 6 percent above the 2011 estimate. The average yield forecast, at 426 cwt per acre, is up 10 cwt per acre from a year ago. In Idaho, growing conditions were favorable, leading to a yield that, if realized, will be the highest on record. Total potato production is forecast to be the second highest on record. Record high yields are also forecast in North Dakota where the potato crop benefitted from favorable spring weather and adequate water supplies. In Michigan, growers reported good yields despite the high temperatures and dry conditions experienced during the summer. Fall potato summary, November 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Michigan : United States : :--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item : Unit : : : : Record : Year : : : : : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 : high : set : 2010 : 2011 : 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Planted :1,000 acres: 44.0 45.0 47.5 NA NA 894.3 957.7 1,004.4 Harvested :1,000 acres: 43.5 44.0 46.0 374.0 1895 881.8 939.5 991.5 Yield :Cwt : 360 345 355 360 2009,2010 416 416 426 Production :1,000 Cwt : 15,660 15,180 16,330 23,256 1904 357,191 391,180 422,016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------