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Released: December 2001
Seasonal
No. 987-7-01

Stocks of potatoes in New York held for all purposes on December 1, 2001 totaled 2.90 million hundredweight (cwt.), 12 percent above last year's holdings.

The 15 major potato States held 267 million cwt. of potatoes on December 1, 2001, down 14 percent from last year and 7 percent below 1999. Storage accounted for 68 percent of the fall storage States 2001 production, the same percentage as last year. Stocks by type were 3 percent red, 9 percent round white, 4 percent long white (Shepody) and 84 percent russet; with a lower percentage of round whites and a higher
percentage of russets than a year ago.

Eastern States stored 16.7 million cwt. of potatoes on December 1, down 11 percent from last year and 16 percent below 1999. Maine's stocks were down 14 percent, and Pennsylvania's stocks declined 15 percent. New York's potato storage was above last year by 12 percent.

Central States accounted for 64.8 million cwt. of potato stocks this December, down 8 percent from last year but 3 percent above two years ago. North Dakota's stocks are up 5 percent and the other five Central States are down from last year. Nebraska and Ohio stocks are off 35 percent and 37 percent, respectively. Minnesota's storage is down 15 percent and Michigan is off 6 percent from a year ago. Wisconsin's potato stocks are down 5 percent from last year.

Western States held 185 million cwt. of potatoes in storage on December 1, a drop of 16 percent from last year and 4 percent below two years ago. The 2001 water shortage helped reduce California's potato stocks 63 percent and Oregon's 30 percent below last year. Colorado farmers stored 23 percent fewer potatoes this year than last. Idaho's potato stocks dropped 14 percent, while Washington's storage fell 10 percent from last year. Montana's seed storage decreased 12 percent.

Disappearance, at 127 million cwt., from the start of harvest to December 1, is down 14 percent from the same period last year and 13 percent less than two years ago. Shrink and loss, at 14.8 million cwt., is down 21 percent from last year and 25 percent below two years ago.

Processors used 64.9 million cwt. of 2001 crop potatoes so far this season, down 17 percent from a year ago and 14 percent below two years ago. Idaho and Malheur processing fell 29 percent while Washington and the rest of Oregon is down 16 percent from a year ago.

NOTE: Stocks are defined as the quantity (whether sold or not) remaining in storage for all purposes and uses, including seed potatoes not yet moved and shrinkage, waste, and other losses that occur after the date of each report. Sales of fall potatoes for all purposes for the past five years averaged 90.9 percent of the total fall production. Shrinkage, loss and home use account for the remaining 9.1 percent. Most seed for use the following year is on hand December 1st, but remains as part of stocks until planted.

New York production of fall potatoes for 2001 is estimated at 5.94 million hundredweight (cwt.), down fractionally from a year ago.

U.S. production of fall potatoes for 2001 is forecast at 400 million cwt., down 14 percent from last year and the smallest fall crop since 1993. Area harvested, at 1.09 million acres, is down 8 percent from last season. The average yield is forecast at 366 cwt. per acre, a drop of 26 cwt. from last year. After a record high production last year, the fall potato crop is smaller in 20 of the 22 fall producing States. Only Indiana and Massachusetts have larger crops this year.

Nine Western States produced 272 million cwt. of potatoes in 2001, down 17 percent from last year. Acreage harvested, at 664,300 acres, is down 12 percent while the average yield, at 410 cwt. per acre, fell 26 cwt. from a year ago. The lack of irrigation water dropped California fall potato production by 70 percent and Oregon by 34 percent from last year. Fall potato production in New Mexico fell 47 percent, with a sharp drop in acreage and yield. Idaho's production is 16 percent below last year's record high crop. Washington's potato crop declined 10 percent. Fall production in Colorado fell 24 percent, while Nevada dropped 26 percent. Utah's production is down 21 percent from a year ago and Montana's production is trimmed by 13 percent.

Eight Central States production is forecast at 102 million cwt. this year, down 7 percent from last year. Harvested area is estimated at 326,100 acres, down 3 percent, while the average yield of 312 cwt. per acre is off 15 cwt. from a year ago. The Nebraska potato crop is down 16 percent from 2000 and South Dakota is off 20 percent. Production in Minnesota and Ohio are down 13 percent each while Michigan is down 6 percent from last year. North Dakota's production slipped 2 percent and Wisconsin dropped 5 percent, with lower yields reported. The only central State with better production than last year is Indiana, which is up 18 percent attributed to ideal growing conditions and a 4 percent increase in harvested acres.

Five Eastern States produced 26.1 million cwt. of fall potatoes in 2001, down 7 percent from last year. Area for harvest totaled 102,100 acres, 1 percent above a year ago, but the average yield fell to 256 cwt. per acre, 22 cwt. below 2000. Production in Maine and Pennsylvania each dropped 10 percent from last year. Rhode Island is off 2 percent. Massachusetts potato production is up 16 percent.

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