Washington and Oregon Potato Growers Nervous about Hot and Dry Conditions

Fresh-market potato growers in Washington and Oregon may not know what their 2015-16 crop will look like until they start harvesting, which should be a week or two earlier than usual.

Dry conditions and unusually warm weather had many producers concerned. Eastern Washington was especially hard hit.

The hot weather was bad news for potatoes, said Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission, Moses Lake, but he expressed confidence that growers would be able to manage their crops successfully.

Hot weather is hard on the plants, he said.

“They really kind of shut down, so you’re not adding any yield to your potato plant during the day,” he said.

Growers have to water to keep the soil cool, but that can create an environment that can lead to disease pressure.

“You really have to be on your management game,” he said. “Our growers are really good managers and know how to do that.”

Excessive heat can cause lower yields, misshapen tubers and defects like hollow heart if not managed properly, he said.

While Voigt was concerned about the hot weather, he said it was not too unusual.

“We’ve had that in the past, and we’ve gotten through fine,” he said.