nd-potatoes-vegetables NEWS RELEASE Potato Summary September 22, 2005 2004 Potato Summary North Dakota Final production estimates for the 2004 potato crop totaled 26.8 million hundredweight (cwt), down 2 percent from 2003, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Dakota Field Office. Planted acres for 2004 totaled 105,000, down 10 percent from 2003. Harvested area, at 101,000 acres, also decreased 10 percent from the previous year. Yield for all potatoes averaged 265 cwt in 2004, up 20 cwt from 2003 and 35 cwt above the average yield from the 2002 crop. Irrigated potato yields averaged 380 cwt, up 17 cwt from 2003. The value of potatoes sold from the 2004 crop totaled $137 million, up 8 percent from the 2003 crop. The marketing year average price was $5.80 per cwt, compared with $5.45 for the 2003 crop and $6.25 for the 2002 crop. Sales from the 2004 crop totaled 23.7 million cwt, up 1 percent from 2003 and 16 percent more than 2002. The increase in sales was due to less potatoes lost (shrinkage and loss) and decreased usage on farms where grown (seed, home use and livestock feed). Sales accounted for 89 percent of production, up from 85 percent of the 2003 crop. Sales as a percent of production during the last 10 years have ranged from 89 percent for the 1998 crop to 80 percent for the 1996 crop. Low sales from the 1996 crop were due mainly to the 1997 spring flooding of potato storage bins and low prices. United States Total 2004 potato production is estimated at 456 million cwt, down fractionally from the estimate made in the January Annual Crop Summary and less than 1 percent below the 2003 crop. Harvested area, at 1.17 million acres, decreased 7 percent from a year ago. The average yield of 391 cwt per acre is up 24 cwt from 2003 and 29 cwt above the average yield from the 2002 crop. This is a record high yield, 10 cwt above the previous record set in 2000. The value of all potatoes sold in 2004 is estimated at $2.34 billion, down 5 percent from the previous year. The average price, at $5.67 per cwt, is down $0.22 from a year earlier. Sales from the 2004 potato crop totaled 414 million cwt, down 1 percent from 2003. Sales account for 91 percent of 2004 production. Non-sales account for 42.2 million cwt, 3 percent above the previous year. Over the past five years, 91 percent of the potatoes grown have been sold. The other 9 percent were either lost (shrinkage and loss) or used on farms where grown (seed, home use, and livestock feed). Fall potatoes are finalized at 410 million cwt for 2004, virtually unchanged from the 2003 crop. Area harvested in 2004 is estimated at 1.02 million acres, down 6 percent from a year earlier. The average yield, at 401 cwt per acre, is up 25 cwt from a year earlier and a record high, 9 cwt above the previous record high set in 2000. Potato Production, Disposition & Income Crop Year Disposition Items 2002 2003 2004 NORTH DAKOTA PRODUCTION - - - - (1,000 Cwt) - - - - Total 23,460 27,440 26,765 FARM DISPOSITION Seed, Feed, etc. 1/ 450 390 240 Shrinkage and Loss 2,650 3,700 2,825 Sold 20,360 23,350 23,700 VALUE - - - - (1,000 Dollars) - - - - Price/Cwt (Dollars) 6.25 5.45 5.80 Production 146,625 149,548 155,237 Sales 127,250 127,258 137,460 UNITED STATES PRODUCTION - - - - (1,000 Cwt) - - - - Total 458,171 457,814 456,041 FARM DISPOSITION Seed, Feed, etc. 1/ 5,622 5,543 4,796 Shrinkage and Loss 30,905 35,294 37,408 Sold 421,644 416,977 413,837 VALUE - - - - (1,000 Dollars) - - - - Price/Cwt (Dollars) 6.67 5.89 5.67 Production 3,045,310 2,685,822 2,575,204 Sales 2,811,995 2,457,640 2,344,481 1/ Seed, feed and household use on farms where grown. Potato Disposition, United States Crop Year Disposition Items 2002 2003 2004 - - - - (1,000 Cwt) - - - - SALES 421,644 416,977 413,837 Table Stock 131,889 133,143 130,418 Processing 262,706 257,226 258,562 Chips & Shoestrings 51,640 52,790 50,068 Dehydration 51,357 48,418 48,527 Frozen French Fries 124,875 126,515 131,592 Other Frozen Products 28,951 23,870 23,003 Canned Products 2,744 3,086 2,843 Other Canned Products 1/ 2,089 1,168 998 Starch, Flour & Other 1,050 1,379 1,531 Other Sales 27,049 26,608 24,857 Livestock Feed 3,044 2,005 1,942 Seed 24,005 24,603 22,915 Diversion (Other than Feed) NON-SALES 36,527 40,837 42,204 Seed 4,144 4,000 3,614 Household & Feed 1,478 1,543 1,182 Shrinkage & Loss 30,905 35,294 37,408 TOTAL PRODUCTION 458,171 457,814 456,041 1/ Hash, stews and soups. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: David Knopf, Director USDA, NASS, North Dakota Field Office NDSU, IACC Bldg., Room 448 P.O. Box 3166 Fargo, ND 58108-3166 Telephone: (701) 239-5306 E-Mail: nass-nd@nass.usda.gov Internet: http://www.nass.usda.gov/nd/