US Potato grower-shippers expect more of the same strong pricing in the New Year, which should keep retailers from running perilously low on spuds, as they did last summer.
Year-to-date, as of Dec. 10, Rosholt, Wis.-based Bushmans’ Inc. had shipped about 10% fewer potatoes than it had the year before, said Mitch Bushman, president.
“Demand has been just average, maybe even slightly down,” he said. “Both Thanksgiving and Christmas definitely were not as strong as last year.”
Movement has been “tempered,” but by no means sluggish, said Kevin Stanger, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Wada Farms Marketing Group, Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Stanger expected demand to pick up in January, when several big retail ads are expected to break. Despite the lower volumes this season, promotions will continue, and he was optimistic the industry would not see a repeat of last summer’s severe shortage.
“Demand has been just average, maybe even slightly down,” he said. “Both Thanksgiving and Christmas definitely were not as strong as last year.”
Movement has been “tempered,” but by no means sluggish, said Kevin Stanger, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Wada Farms Marketing Group, Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Stanger expected demand to pick up in January, when several big retail ads are expected to break. Despite the lower volumes this season, promotions will continue, and he was optimistic the industry would not see a repeat of last summer’s severe shortage.
