News on Potato Stats, Trade, Prices from the United States

U.S. farmers started shipping fresh potatoes into the Mexican interior in May, about 20 years after an initial deal was signed between the two countries.

Supplies of Idaho potatoes continue to be extremely tight and will likely gap before fresh crop potatoes come on later this summer.

Potatoes USA, the marketing and promotion board for the potato industry in the United States, elected new leadership during its Annual Meeting on March 9, 2022. The newly elected Chairman and Executive Committee will lead the Board through 2022-2023.

The National Potato Council released the following statement in response to a joint announcement by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Víctor Villalobos 

U.S. exports of frozen potato products increased by 30% for the July – September 2021 quarter compared to 2020. These increases were led by a 63% increase to Mexico

Aroostook County (Maine, US) may have pulled a record potato harvest out of the ground this year, but transportation slowdowns and a driver shortage are making it difficult to get the crop to market.

During the first quarter of Potatoes USA’s Marketing Year 2022 (July - September 2021), potato sales decreased in dollars by 1.1% and in volume by 5.7% compared to the same period in 2020.

Don Flannery, president of the Maine Potato Board, is not calling it a record year — yet. But with over 80 percent of this season’s potatoes out of the ground, the longtime industry expert said yields are shaping up to be above average.

The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and IRI® announced a new partnership to provide AFFI members with complimentary access to IRI data on frozen food performance in real-time.

The marketing year that ended in June 2021 was unlike any year the US potato industry has ever experienced. With pandemic restrictions ebbing and flowing from June 2020 to July 2021, sales at foodservice fluctuated while retail purchases remained extremely strong throughout the year.

Aroostook County agricultural growers are predicting a higher quantity and quality of potato crop than was produced in 2020, due to the less severe weather this summer.

The hot, dry and smoky growing season has left some Idaho potato farmers bracing for a poor crop. For Randy Hardy of Oakley, harvest will likely be the worst of his career.

The toll that hot dry weather took on the Red River Valley 2021 potato crop won’t be visible until harvest begins in a few weeks, but it’s already clear it has affected yields and quality.

United States imports of potatoes and potato products for the July 2020 – June 2021 marketing year increased by 12% in fresh weight equivalent volume and 16% in value, compared to the previous marketing year.

Exports from the U.S. were impacted by reduced demand and shipping problems starting in January 2020; this reduced demand carried through the end of 2020.

From July 2020 - June 2021, potato sales in the United States increased in dollars by 3% but declined slightly in volume by 0.3% compared to the previous July-June marketing year.

All-yellow flesh potatoes continue to rise above russets, reds and whites in the critical metric of retailer volume sales, an encouraging sign for grocers as growers ready for their upcoming fall harvests.

The United States pressured Mexico on Wednesday to allow genetically modified crops into the country and to open up access to U.S.-grown potatoes. Trade talks were held Wednesday in Mexico City.