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POTATOES

Released July 12, 2005  Seasonal No. 987-5-05

 

 

 

NEW YORK POTATO ACREAGE INCREASES

 

New York potato growers planted an estimated 20,500 acres of potatoes this year according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, New York office.  This is up 3 percent from the record low in 2004. Acres for harvest is forecast at 20,100, up 5 percent from a year earlier.

 

U.S. area planted to fall potatoes for 2005 is estimated at 970,400 acres, down 7 percent from last year and 12 percent below 2003.  Harvested acres are forecast at 955,700, down 7 percent from 2004 and 12 percent below two years ago.  This is the lowest planted and harvested acres since 1957.  This reduction is due in part to economic pressures, industry acreage reduction programs, and inclement weather at planting.

 

Growers in Eastern States have planted an estimated 90,600 acres of fall potatoes this year, down 8 percent from last year and 14 percent below the 2003 acreage.  Maine's planted acreage is estimated at 55,500 acres, down 13 percent from last year.  Planted potato acreage in Pennsylvania is down 4 percent, while producers in New York planted 3 percent more acres.  Massachusetts and Rhode Island's planted acreages are unchanged from 2004.  Cool, wet spring weather delayed planting and has slowed crop progress but crop quality is expected to be good in these New England States.

 

Central States planted an estimated 273,600 acres of fall potatoes this year, down 6 percent from last year and 18 percent below two years ago.  Cool, wet weather slowed planting in most central States.  North Dakota's planted acreage decreased 14 percent and is the lowest number of planted acres since 1952.  This reduction is due in part to a decrease in processing acres.  Planted acres dropped 9 percent in Nebraska, 3 percent in Ohio, and 2 percent in Minnesota from a year ago.  Michigan and Wisconsin growers planted the same amount of acres as last year.

 

Western States potato acreage is estimated at 606,200 acres planted this year, down 6 percent from last year and 9 percent below 2003.  Planting was delayed in most western States due to wet conditions.  Idaho growers dropped their planted acreage 7 percent from last year.  This is the lowest planted acreage for Idaho since 1986.  Washington producers pulled back 4 percent from a year ago.  Colorado growers voluntarily reduced acreage 10 percent this year for both water conservation and economic reasons.  Planted acres in Oregon were dropped 5 percent.  This reduction is due in part to the closure of a processing plant in the Columbia Basin.  California's fall potato acres are down 5 percent and Nevada's acres decreased 18 percent.  Planted acres for Montana are up 3 percent.  New Mexico summer potatoes were combined with fall potatoes for 2005.  Acres are up 2 percent from 2004 for all of New Mexico's potato acres.

 

                                    POTATOES – Area Planted and Harvested 2004-2005