On May 30, International Day of Potato, Peak of the Market Ltd. and the Keystone Potato Producers Association proudly recognize the dedication and hard work of Manitoba’s potato growers.

The potato is one of the most important food crops in the world, a staple in meals for more than a billion people worldwide, and University of Manitoba (UM) is leading the way globally in the future of potato production and processing.

Frost last week ended Manitoba’s potato harvest, leaving thousands of acres undug.
It’s the second year wet soils prevented potato farmers from getting all the crop off before heavy frost ruined it.

Potato processing plants in Manitoba and Alberta may not run at full capacity this winter. About 20,000 acres of potatoes were in the ground in Manitoba as of the middle of October, and growers needed two weeks of favourable weather to harvest the crop.

La escasez de patatas de este año es una anomalía para Canadá

Manitoba’s potato sector is gearing up to supply an expanding industry but seed supplies will be tight after a tough harvest last season. A number of producers are planning capital upgrades to keep up with the rise in demand.

Manitoba, the second largest potato growing province in Canada, has a potato shortage as 8 percent of its acreage goes unharvested.

This year has been a difficult one for potato producers in the Portage region. Shifting weather extremes have made both growing and harvesting difficult at times.

Potato acres are expected to fall in Manitoba this spring, as french fry companies cut back on process potato contracts.