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POTATOES

Released: December 2004

Seasonal

No. 987-5-04

NEW YORK POTATO STOCKS UP 7 PERCENT

        Stocks of potatoes in New York held for all purposes on December 1, 2004 totaled 2.90 million hundredweight (cwt.), 7 percent above last year’s holdings.

        The 15 major potato States held 272 million cwt. of potatoes in storage December 1, 2004, up 1 percent from last year and 3 percent above 2002. Potatoes in storage account for 67 percent of the 2004 fall storage States' production, 1 percentage point above last year. Stocks by type were 3 percent red, 12 percent round white, 4 percent long white (Shepody), and 81 percent russets, with fewer reds and more long whites than a year ago.

        Eastern States stored 19.1 million cwt. of potatoes on December 1, up 6 percent from last year and 17 percent above two years ago. Maine's stocks are up 11 percent from last. Pennsylvania's sheds decreased 37 percent from a year ago.

        Central States accounted for 68.2 million cwt. of potato stocks on December 1, down 5 percent from last year but 11 percent above two years ago. Wisconsin potato sheds stored 5 percent less than last year, Minnesota and Michigan stocks both decreased 7 percent, Nebraska went down 11 percent, and Ohio's potato sheds stored 33 percent less. North Dakota's sheds are the only ones in the central States storing more potatoes than last year with an increase of 1 percent.

        Western States held 184 million cwt. of potatoes in storage on December 1, up 3 percent from last year but 1 percent below two years ago. Idaho's potato stocks are up 9 percent from last year, California increased 19 percent, and Montana's storages held 10 percent more. Potato sheds in Washington and Colorado both stored 2 percent less than last year and Oregon sheds were down 6 percent.

        Disappearance of 132 million cwt. from the start of harvest to December 1, is down 3 percent from last year and 8 percent below two years ago. Shrink and loss, at 16.8 million cwt., is up 12 percent from last year and 8 percent above the same date in 2002.

        Processors used 70.7 million cwt. of 2004 crop potatoes so far this season, down 2 percent from a year ago and 8 percent below two years ago. Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon, processing increased less than 1 percent, while Washington and the rest of Oregon processed 1 percent less of the 2004 crop than of the 2003 crop. Dehydrating usage accounts for 13.4 million cwt of the total processing, down 6 percent from last year and 15 percent below the same date in 2002.

Table 1. FALL POTATOES: Production and Stocks on December 1, 2003-2004 1/

Table 2. FALL POTATOES: Production and Stocks, 15 Major States, 1995-2004

NEW YORK FALL POTATO PRODUCTION DOWN, U.S. DOWN

 New York production of fall potatoes for 2004 is estimated at 5.18 million hundredweight (cwt.), down 20 percent from a year ago.

U.S. production of fall potatoes for 2004 is forecast at 410 million cwt., up less than 1 percent from last month but virtually unchanged from last year for comparable States. Area harvested, at 1.03 million acres, is up less than 1 percent from November but 6 percent below last year. The average yield is forecast at 399 cwt. per acre, 14 cwt. above last month and 23 cwt. above last year. If realized, this will be a record high yield, 7 cwt. above the previous record set in 2000.

Western States production is forecast at 281 million cwt., virtually unchanged from the November forecast but up 3 percent from last year for comparable States. Acreage harvested, at 642,200 acres, decreased 3 percent from last year, but the average yield of 437 cwt. per acre is up 23 cwt. from 2003. Production in Washington went up 1 percent from last year. Colorado's production decreased 2 percent as more acres were abandoned due to higher disease rates and water management issues. Oregon growers expect to harvest 19.8 million cwt. of potatoes, down 6 percent from last year. This decrease is due to a 13 percent reduction in harvested acres but yields are forecast at 41 cwt. above last season. California's production is up 10 percent from last year. Growers in Montana expect production to be 6 percent above the 2003 crop. Nevada's production is expected to decrease 13 percent. New Mexico production is expected to be 8 percent above last season.

Central States production is forecast at 101 million cwt., up 1 percent from the November forecast but down 7 percent from last year for comparable States. Harvested area, estimated at 289,600 acres, is up 1 percent from November but 11 percent below a year ago. Average yields, at 349 cwt. per acre, are up 14 cwt. from a year ago. Production in Michigan is 9 percent below 2003 and Minnesota's is down 15 percent from last year. Growers in North Dakota expect a 2 percent decrease from last season. Indiana's production increased 21 percent from last year. Wisconsin growers are expecting a record high yield of 415 cwt. per acre, 5 cwt. above last year. However, production is expected to decrease 6 percent due to fewer harvested acres. Nebraska growers expect production to decrease 8 percent and Ohio 2 percent.

Eastern States production is forecast at 27.9 million cwt., up 2 percent from the November forecast and up less than 1 percent from last year. Area for harvest totaled 95,200 acres, 8 percent below last year. Average yield, at 293 cwt. per acre, is up 4 cwt. from November and 23 cwt. above last season. A 13 percent production increase from last year is expected in Maine. Massachusetts production is up 12 percent from a year ago. Pennsylvania growers expect a 25 percent decrease from last year. Rhode Island production is expected to increase 2 percent from 2003.

 

            Table 3. FALL POTATOES:  Acreage Planted

  Table 4. FALL POTATOES: Acreage Harvested, Yield and Production