EEUU: WEEKLY POTATO REPORT
Chip potato movement is steady, but slower than usual for this time of year. There are still a lot of open potatoes left to move. Michigan prices for open potatoes range between $4.50-$6.00 per cwt.
Planting will get under way next week in southwest Michigan. Growers are not showing a lot of enthusiasm for the 2016 season, but other crops don’t offer much of an alternative.
The main central Florida chip potato harvest will start next week. Early crops were hurt by heavy rains and cold weather, though the situation varies by farm. Yields on the first potatoes will be light, but later fields should come in close to average. Growers are not expecting to have many open potatoes. Acreage is down from last year, due to reduced contract volumes.
Reports on the Hastings chip potato crop are mixed. Early fields were hit by heavy rain, but seem to have recovered. The crop did go through a dry period, though it was sustained by irrigation. Recent growing conditions have been ideal. Growers are expecting a good crop. Chip potato acreage is down significantly from last year. Some chip companies did not sign any contracts in Hastings this year.
US fresh potato shipments for the week ending March 19, 2016 totaled 1.819 million cwt. That is down from 1.926 million cwt shipped cwt during the same period, in 2015. Michigan shipments for the week ending March 19, 2016 totaled 43,260 cwt, down from 51,540 cwt during the same week in 2015. The Michigan shipments were 61.0% Russets, 28.0% Round White potatoes, and 11.0% Yellow varieties.
Michigan size A Russets are selling for $1.60-$1.90 per 10 lb bag, unchanged from last week at this time. Wisconsin packers are selling Size A Russets in 10# film bags for mostly $6.00 per 50# bale, unchanged for the week. They are selling 40-70 count cartons for mostly $10.00-$10.50 per 50# box, up from $9.50-$10.00 per box a week ago. The weighted average shipping point price for Idaho Norkotahs is $12.88 per cwt, down from $13.15 per cwt a week ago.
Michigan size A Round White potatoes are selling for mostly $1.60-$1.70 per 10# bag, unchanged from a week ago. Maine 2-inch minimum Round White potatoes are selling for mostly $6.50-$7.50 per 10/5# bale, also unchanged for the week. Florida size A Round White potatoes are selling for mostly $30.25 per 50# box, unchanged from last week at this time.
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Fuente: http://www.mipotato.com/thisweekspotatoreport.aspx
