US Potato use for French Fries processing down 12%; Recovery in processing of Potato flakes

Potato processors in the 9 major potato processing States have used 60.9 million cwt of potatoes this season (harvest 2009), down 12 percent from the same period last year and down 17 percent from 2 years ago. Dehydrating usage accounted for 11.0 million cwt of the total processing, up 3 percent from last year but 14 percent below the same period in 2007.

Processors in Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon used 6.16 million cwt of 2009 crop raw potatoes during November, down 9.1 percent from November 2008. Processors in Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon have used 23.1 million cwt of 2009 crop raw potatoes to December 1, up 3.3 percent from last year. Idaho potatoes accounted for 18.3 million cwt of the total processed. The remaining 4.81 million cwt were produced in other states.