Idaho Potato Production 12 percent lower

Idaho's potato production will decrease about 12 percent this year compared to last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts.

State officials said the decrease is due mainly to some farmers switching over to wheat.

While Idaho farmers produced more potatoes per acre than ever before, the report said, the number of acres in production was the lowest since 1980.

According to the report released Monday, that will result in the lowest production of potatoes in Idaho in 19 years.

Idaho is the nation's top potato producing state, growing about one-third of the country's spuds.

The USDA estimates 305,000 acres of potatoes were planted in Idaho in 2008, and that the state will produce about 11.5 billion pounds, compared with 13 billion pounds in 2007. Final numbers on this year's output won't be available until 2009.

The agency estimates Idaho farmers produced 378,000 pounds of potatoes per acre this year.