North American potato production up 4%

Fall potato production in the United States and Canada is estimated at 481 million hundredweight, up 4 percent from 2010.

The National Ag Statistics Service says U.S. fall potato production increased 6 percent to 389 million cwt while Stats Canada reports Canadian production was 5 percent lower at 91.9 million cwt.

U.S. yield slipped 200 pound to 414 cwt per acre but harvested acres increased 58,000 to 939, 200 total harvested. Canadian harvested acreage increase 5,000 to 348,200 acres but yield fell nearly 1900 pounds to 263.9 cwt per acre.

Total potato production in the U.S., spring, summer and fall of 2011, was 427.4 million cwt up 23 million from 2010.