United States Potato Stocks Up 6 percent from April 2016

The 13 major potato States held 133 million cwt of potatoes in storage April 1, 2017, up 6 percent from April 1, 2016. 

Potatoes in storage accounted for 33 percent of the fall storage States' 2016 production, 1 percent more than last year. 

 

The potato stock estimates in this report are based on a survey conducted in the first week of April in the 13 major fall potato producing States, which account for 92 percent of all potato production. The potato stocks survey includes a sample of approximately 975 growers, processors, and storage facilities that are contacted to obtain the quantity of potatoes stored as of the first of the month, as well as shrinkage and loss information. 

Potato disappearance, at 273 million cwt, was down slightly from April 1, 2016. Season-to-date shrink and loss, at 20.9 million cwt, was 6 percent higher than the same time last year. 

Potato Processing 

Processors in the 8 major States used 145 million cwt of potatoes for the season, up 2 percent from April 2016. 

 

Monthly processing data is collected from all known potato processing facilities in eight States (Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin). An effort is made to obtain a report from all facilities.

Estimates are made for missing facilities to make the survey complete.