11/13/07 Idaho potato production

Idaho potato production is expected to total 132 million hundred weight, up two percent from last year's 129 million hundred weight. Those numbers didn't surprise Frank Muir of the Idaho Potato Commission. MUIR "Again there was a lot of different speculation in terms of yield and all that but I felt that we would probably have about 13 million hundredweight. We're well positioned to move that product. We're already shipping ahead of last year's pace." National Ag Statistics Service says 349 thousand acres of spuds were harvested in Idaho this year, 15 thousand more acres than 2006. Statewide the yield is 377 hundred weight, down nine hundred weight from last year's record high. Incidences of Potato Virus Y were more frequent than normal and that reduced some yields. Russet Burbank made up 62 percent of the Idaho potato planted acreage. Other potatoes in the top five were Ranger Russet at 14.4 percent, Norkotah 9.8 percent, Western Russet at 2.8 and Alturas Russet at 1.7. And how about the price farmers are getting for spuds? Muir said they're holding steady, actually showing an increase recently. MUIR "You like to see the go up ahead of Thanksgiving. That typically doesn't happen. So right now it's looking real favorable." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott