EEUU: Idaho reports variable Burbank quality

Idaho potato industry sources say a growing season marked by sudden shifts from extreme heat to unseasonable cold has resulted in variable quality in the state’s Russet Burbank crop.

“They’re great size but a little rough,” Aberdeen grower Ritchey Toevs said of his Burbanks, which tend to be more sensitive to the weather than other popular varieties.

Toevs said he’s seen some growth cracks, rough skin and odd shapes in Burbanks thus far in his harvest. However, his spuds have ideal weight for making fries and he’s had no problems with high sugar accumulation by stem ends.

Toevs believes record heat in late June caused plants to drop many baby tubers, leading some of the remaining tubers to grow too quickly.

In Idaho, Burbanks account for about half of the potato crop. Through the week ending Oct. 4, the state’s spud harvest was 59 percent complete, according to USDA.

Oakley farmer Randy Hardy harvested a pivot of russet Norkotahs with great quality, but his Burbank crop is “definitely rougher.” Though his smaller Burbanks appear OK, some of his larger tubers have had growth cracks and rough skin. Other growers have told him they’ve had challenges with growth knobs. Hardy said his yields have been about average, but heavy on larger spuds.

Hardy said buyers have been excited by decent size in Idaho’s Burbank harvest, following last season, when the crop profile was heavy on smaller spuds.

Prices reflect a large size profile. On Oct. 2, USDA listed prices of Burbank consumer sacks out of Twin Falls at $9 to $13 per hundredweight. Carton prices for the two largest tuber sizes ranged from $11 to $13 per hundredweight, compared with $14 to $17 per hundredweight for cartons of smaller-sized tubers.

Idaho Potato Commission President and CEO Frank Muir anticipates a good pricing year and is optimistic the market will strengthen once harvest is complete.

As for quality, Muir said, “The Burbank is a very mixed situation. It depends on the fields and heat and moisture they received during the season.”

Idaho Falls grower James Hoff has seen some shape problems with his Burbanks.

“Burbanks seem to have some decent size in them,” Hoff said. “The quality seems to be down a little bit.”

Blackfoot grower David Cooper said his quality has been acceptable, but the early summer heat nipped his yield.

“At least in southeast Idaho, I bet we’re down 15 to 20 percent in yield,” Cooper said.

Declo grower Mark Darrington had excessive sugar ends in one Burbank field, but dug a couple of other Burbank pivots that “look really nice.”

Overall, he considers it a good crop.

Dan Hargraves, executive director of Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative, recently toured Magic Valley to assess the potato crop. Other russet varieties, such as Western and Ranger, have fared well, he said.

“I saw some Burbanks that were a little course,” Hargraves said. “There’s just some variability in this crop — maybe a little more variability than normal.”

Hargraves believes August weather that alternated between cold and hot also contributed to the variability.

“I don’t think it’s anything catastrophic,” Hargraves said.