US potato industry mulls remedies to supply-demand imbalance

Attendees at the Potato Business Summit in Las Vegas spent much of Jan. 9 listening to speakers discuss oversupply and declining consumption and ways to correct them.

Jerry Wright, president and chief executive officer of the United Potato Growers of America, Salt Lake City, suggested that growers reduce fresh-market shipments to what he considers a profitable level — about 91.7 million cwt. — for the 2013 season.

In 2012-13, fresh-market shipments are forecast to be more than 98 million cwt.