Potato volume up, prices down for holidays

Plenty of potatoes should be available for holiday repasts this year, and ample volume should mean favorable prices for consumers.

Last year a long, wet spring in Idaho — where about half of U.S. fresh-market potatoes are grown — caused a virtual potato shortfall, said Ross Johnson, vice president of retail for the Eagle-based Idaho Potato Commission.

“We just weren’t able to get the yields that we typically expect,” he said.

“This year, we had the complete opposite thing happen,” Johnson said. “We had a beautiful, early spring. We had idyllic weather throughout the growing season.”

The good weather will mean increased supplies of russet, red and yellow potatoes from Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Potandon Produce, said Joey Dutton, sales manager on key accounts and onion sales manager.

“It’s going to be a fun year in terms of markets and being able to sell more potatoes,” he said.

Quality, sizing and yields all are good this season, Dutton said. However, some of the burbank variety to come later may be smaller than usual because they kicked off later and had a shorter growing season.

Potandon ships most of its fall/winter potatoes from five sheds in Idaho, he said. The company also sources from other states.

Acreage, quality and yields are up this year at Idaho Falls-based Eagle Eye Produce, said Coleman Oswald, director of sales.

The company, which ships russet, red and yellow potatoes, will have a volume increase of 15% to 20% he said, and did not experience any weather disruptions this year.

Eagle Eye grows russet potatoes in Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Colorado and red and yellow potatoes in Washington and Idaho.

About half the company’s potatoes go to foodservice and half go to retail customers, he said.

Rexburg, Idaho-based Wilcox Fresh grows all the main potato varieties, said Derek Peterson, vice president of sales and operations. But since acquiring its fingerling supplier, Heyburn, Idaho-based Southwind Farms last year, the company is putting a lot of emphasis on its fingerling program.

“It’s a new venture for us,” Peterson said. “We’re trying to keep the excitement alive.”

Southwind Farms was a core fingerling supplier for Idaho, he said.

Wilcox Fresh will continue to promote the variety.

Higher potato volume leads to lower fob prices, growers said.

“Pricing right now is down,” Dutton said. “There’s a lot of supply out there.”

Growers have to remain competitive with other shippers, he said.

Thanksgiving is the industry’s biggest holiday, Johnson said, with growers often experiencing a 30% bump for that time frame.

“Potatoes just bring people together,” he said.