Demand for Idaho Russet potato exceeds supply
Harvest of Idaho Russet potatoes started in early August. “It’s a little bit ahead of schedule, but…Harvest of Idaho Russet potatoes started in early August. “It’s a little bit ahead of schedule, but hopefully, we can continue to harvest without any disruptions through the middle of October,” says Jamey Higham with Potandon Produce. “We just finished up last year’s potato crop during the past few weeks.”
“The potatoes seem to have good size and quality, but it is too early to tell how supplies are this season,” mentioned Higham. For the most part it was a good growing season. “Hot temperatures during the early part of the season affected the crop to some extent, but we need to be further into harvest to see if there was any impact.”
Higham is positive about the current price level. “With demand exceeding supply currently, prices are decent right now. Hopefully, we can maintain or increase these price levels all the way through harvest,” he added. According to the USDA, average shipping point prices for a 50 lbs. carton of Russet Norkotah 50-count potatoes ran between $11 and $12 on August 24.
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