News on Potato Prices from the Americas

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is changing the name of the Fruit and Vegetable Program to the Specialty Crops Program effective immediately. Because of the expansion of products covered, the program name is being changed to be more inclusive.

Wada Farms is currently planting next year’s crop. While potatoes from last season are still plentiful in the market and there is no issue with supply, large-sized Russet potatoes will be short in Idaho until new crop comes on.

Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative growers have agreed to a contract that slightly reduces potato prices but requires processors to accept at least 90 percent of their 2014 acreages with individual farms.

New research from the United States Potato Board (USPB) reveals the complexity and range of price sensitivities within the potato category.

The president of the Potato Growers Association (Asopapa) of the state of Carabobo (Venezuela), Aldemaro Ortega, said the price per kilo, for the potato processing companies, had been set at 40 bolivars.

Idaho is currently confronted with the unusual situation that large Russet potatoes are far more expensive than small Russets and the price gap is only increasing.

A former Potato Growers of Idaho executive director believes Idaho’s capacity to produce and pack potatoes has outgrown the market, at the expense of growers.

In the first week of June, an Idaho potato grower could expect to receive between $7.75 and $8.25 for 100 pounds of potatoes, depending on quality, according to data. In the first week of July, prices had fallen to between $4.25 and $4.75.

Potato Processor Cavendish Farms of Jamestown, North Dakota, United States, has reduced its contracts with Manitoba growers (Canada) to 305,000 hundredweight for 2014

Keystone Potato Producers Association based in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, has yet to complete negotiations with Simplot Canada II over a contract for 2014 production.

Farmers in Aroostook, Maine brace for a tough year as processors pay less and reduce orders by as much as 20 percent.

There are two likely scenarios facing U.S. potato growers in the 2014-15 season, and neither of them is sunny, according to Jerry Wright, president and chief executive officer of the United Potato Growers of America, Salt Lake City.

Manitoba potato farmers could face steeper cuts in contracted potato production unless they can become more cost competitive with other areas of North America, a senior official with McCain Foods says.

Idaho potato farmers who sell to McCain Foods have agreed to a contract that maintains roughly the same pricing as last season, said Dan Hargraves, who negotiated on their behalf as executive director of Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative.

El pasado 27 de febrero representantes del sector productivo le presentaron al Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural un proyecto que busca conseguir recursos por $70 mil millones. Esta semana tendrán respuesta.

The Potato Marketing Association of North America held a special spring meeting this past week in Las Vegas, NV to discuss progress on the 2014 pre-season potato contract negotiations.

A new University of Idaho economic report shows potato procution costs have held steady.

Potato prices are expected to rise with this year’s average crop, ?bringing them back in line with the cost of production