01/29/07 Grape productiion & value up; new spuds

Washington Ag January 29, 2007 Washington wine grape production in 2006 totaled 120-thousand tons, up nine percent from 2005 and 12 percent above 2004. Those numbers are from the Washington Agriculture Statistics Service, which says White Riesling showed the largest increase of the major varieties, up 27 percent from 2005. Chardonnay remains the top variety grown in Washington followed by White Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and then Merlot. Growers received an average of 948 dollars a ton for all varieties in 2006. That was up 18 dollars over 2005. The tri-State Potato Variety Development Program recently approved the release of three new potato varieties, one of them the much anticipated dual purpose potato Premier Russet. University of Idaho agronomist Jeff Stark says processors in particular have anticipated the release of Premier Russet because it will allow them to make light colored fries from tubers stored at temperatures as cold as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Stark: "It has a lot of real nice attributes. It is also a pretty attractive tuber so we thing it will be acceptable in the fresh market as well." 09 A second new variety, Highland Russet is intended for processing markets. And third, Yukon Gem, a mid-season yellow-fleshed variety will fit the same market niche as Yukon Gold but with better disease resistance. I'm Bob Hoff.