Potato Outlook

While potato harvest is still ongoing here in Washington, growers are feeling the affects of a surplus of potatoes in neighboring Idaho by way of depressed prices. Even though Washington’s processed potatoes seem to still be doing well, the sale of fresh potatoes is influenced by the fluctuating buying impulses of grocery stores and restaurants. Bart Connors, with Basin Gold Cooperative comments on other possible reasons for the flat potato market right now.

CONNORS: I think it’s probably a number of things. Prices have been fairly good for the last few years, so I think we’ve got a few extra acres. People are pushing a little harder than they probably should be. Once things kind of get under the cover and harvest slows down I’m assuming that the pricing matrix should probably move a little more close to normal.

High heat this year has resulted in reduced yields for some Washington growers. Even so, can this year’s crop be considered a good one?

CONNORS: I think the crop is mixed. Yeah, I think there are some good crops. On the processing side, crops look a little lighter to me, but I haven’t got them all dug yet. Overall, I think the crop is probably similar to what we had a year ago.

Recent cold weather has been a primary concern for potato growers right now. Connors says that if the ground starts freezing now on a daily basis, potatoes still in the fields will definitely suffer. Growers will have to wait till later in the day to harvest, and inspect potatoes on the belt for any that might be showing signs of having been frozen that need to be discarded.

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I’m Lacy Gray and that’s Washington Ag Today on the Ag Information Network.