United States Onion and Potato Market Trend Report

WASHINGTON - Aug 17/04 - SNS -- The latest weekly onion and potato market trend report was released by the USDA today.

AUGUST 7 AND 14, 2004 IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND HUNDRED WEIGHT (100,000 LBS)
UNITS.  EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE PERIOD AUGUST 15-28, 2004.  PRICES ARE
FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2004 COMPARED WITH MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2004. UNLESS
OTHERWISE STATED SALES ARE F.O.B. SHIPPING POINT BASIS (INCLUDING DELIVERED
SALES F.O.B. SHIPPING POINT BASIS) OR PORT OF ENTRY AND EXTRA SERVICES ARE
INCLUDED.  PRICES REPRESENT OPEN (SPOT) MARKET SALES BY FIRST HANDLERS ON
PRODUCT OF GENERALLY GOOD QUALITY AND CONDITION UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED AND
MAY INCLUDE PROMOTIONAL ALLOWANCES OR OTHER INCENTIVES.  NO CONSIDERATION
IS GIVEN TO AFTER-SALE ADJUSTMENTS UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED.  BROKERAGE FEES
PAID BY SHIPPER ARE INCLUDED IN THE PRICE REPORTED.





ONIONS AND POTATOES
---ONIONS, DRY
   SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 312-340-323---Movement expected
to decrease slightly as a few growers have finish shipping for the season.
Trading Yellow medium fairly active, others moderate.  Prices Yellow medium
slightly higher, others about steady.  25 pound sacks Red Globe Type jumbo
mostly 6.50-7.00, medium 4.00-5.00.  50 pound sacks Yellow Grano Super
colossal 8.00, colossal mostly 5.00, jumbo mostly 4.00, medium 4.50-5.00.
   NORTH AND EAST POINTS COLORADO---Shipments 51-122-236---Movement expected
to remain about the same.  Trading fairly active.  Prices Yellow medium and
Red Globe slightly higher, others generally unchanged.  Yellow Grano 50 pound
sacks Super Colossal mostly 10.00, Colossal 7.00, jumbo mostly 6.00, medium
mostly 7.00.  White 50 pound sacks large 10.00-11.00, medium mostly 10.00.
Red Globe 25 pound sacks large mostly 8.50-9.00, medium 6.00-7.00.
   NEW MEXICO---Shipments 257-194-167---Movement expected to decrease sharply
as most growers have finished harvesting and shipping for the season.  Trading
fairly active.  Prices generally unchanged.  Yellow Grano 50 pound sacks
Super Colossal mostly 10.00, Colossal supplies insufficient to establish a
market, Jumbo mostly 6.00, Medium 5.50-7.00, Repacker size supplies insufficient
to establish a market, White supplies insufficient to establish a market, Red
Globe 25 pound sacks Jumbo 8.00, medium mostly 6.00.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON---Shipments 36-106-162 (includes export 5-15-27)---
Movement expected to increase as additional sheds begin shipping for the
season.  Trading moderate. Prices generally unchanged. Yellow Hybrid 50 pound
cartons Super Colossal 8.00-10.00, Colossal 6.00-7.00, Jumbo 4.50-5.50, Medium
4.50-5.50. White 50 pound sacks Jumbo mostly 7.00, Medium 6.00-7.00. Red 25 pound
sacks Jumbo 5.50-6.00, Medium 3.50-4.00. Most exports to Canada.
   VIDALIA DISTRICT, GEORGIA---Shipments 63-63-54---Movement expected to remain
about the same. Trading slow. Prices unchanged. Controlled atmosphere storage
Yellow Granex type U.S. One 40 pound cartons colossal 16.00, jumbo mostly
14.00-15.00.
   WALLA WALLA DISTRICT WASHINGTON---Shipments 36-36-34 (includes export 1-2-0)
---Movement expected to decrease slightly.  Trading fairly slow. Prices Jumbo
unchanged, others slightly lower. Walla Walla Sweets 50 pound sacks Medium
mostly 6.00. 40 pound cartons Colossal mostly 12.00, Jumbo mostly 10.00,
Medium 6.00-7.00.
   ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK---Shipments 0-0-19---Movement expected to remain about
the same as most harvesting was curtailed over the past weekend due to
weather conditions associated with hurricane Charley. Most growers experienced
fairly light amounts of rain but the current weather is overcast and very
humid. Current supplies are very light and in too few hands to establish a
market.  The first F.O.B. report is expected to be issued by August 25.
   IDAHO AND MALHUER COUNTY OREGON---Shipments 0-0-2---Movement expected to
increase as more growers expect to begin the harvest by August 20.  Sufficient
volume for the first F.O.B. report is expected by August 23.  FIRST REPORT.
   MICHIGAN---2004 CROP UPDATE---Some growers in the state are reporting
significant damage to the crop due to extensive rains in the spring and into
the early summer.  Depending on location, some growers estimate losses from
10-40%. The first plants were pulled over the past weekend. Expect sufficient
volume for the first F.O.B. report around the first September.
---POTATOES
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON & UMATILLA BASIN OREGON 2004 CROP---
Shipments 257-269-349 (includes exports 27-18-25)---Shipments Umatilla
Basin, OR 9-8-4 (includes export 3-9-0)---Movement expected to increase
slightly. Trading fairly slow. Prices Russet carton slightly lower,
others generally unchanged. U.S. One 50 pound cartons Round Red Size A 8.00,
Size B 10.00-12.00, One Inch Minimum mostly 24.00. Yukon Gold Size A
9.00, Size B 7.00, One inch minimum 24.00-26.00. Russet Norkotah baled
non size A filmbags 5/10 pound 4.00, 10/5 pound 5.00, 50 pound cartons
40-50s mostly 7.00, 60-70s mostly 7.00-8.00, 80s 7.00-7.50, 90s 6.00-7.00,
100s 5.00-6.00. According to the Washington Agricultural Statistics Service,
as of the week ending August 15, the potato harvest was 31% complete,
compared to the 5 year average of 22%.
   TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT AND WESTERN IDAHO---2004 Crop Shipments
0-92-324---Movement expected to increase.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices
lower.  Russet Norkotah U.S. One baled 5/10 pound mesh sacks non size A
4.50-5.00, 50 pound cartons 40-70s mostly 10.50-11.00, 80s mostly 10.00-10.50,
90s 6.00-6.50, 100s mostly 5.50.  The majority of supplies currently being
packed are medium in tuber size.
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT IDAHO---2003 Crop Shipments
566-397-192---Movement expected to decrease and be very light between
August 23-September 11.  The total shipments for the season was around
32.5 million hundredweight (cwt) compared to 34.85 million cwt in 2002.
LAST REPORT.
   BIG LAKE AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA---Shipments 50-131-206---Movement expected
to increase slightly as more shippers enter into the Russet Norkotah deal.
Trading active.  Prices lower.  Round Red U.S. One 100 pound sacks size A
9.00-10.00, 50 pound sacks size A mostly 5.00-5.50, size B mostly 9.00.
Truck shortage continues to limit movement.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 41-77-141---Movement expected to increase
as more growers expect to harvest the Russet Norkotah crop during the week
of August 15.  Trading Russet Norkotah moderate, others fairly slow.  Prices
slightly lower.  Russet Norkotah U.S. One baled 5/10 pound film bag size A
5.00-5.50, non size A mostly 4.50-5.00; 50 pound cartons 60-70s 9.50-10.00,
80s mostly 7.50-8.00, 90s 7.00-8.00. Round Red U.S. One 50 pound sacks size A
mostly 5.50, size B mostly 7.50-8.00.  Round White U.S. One 50 pound sacks
size A 3.00-3.50, size B mostly 4.50-5.00, large supplies insufficient to
establish a market.
   HEREFORD-HIGH PLAINS TEXAS---Shipments 83-103-136---Movement expected to
remain about the same.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices lower. Russet Norkotah
U.S. One 50 pound cartons 40s 7.00, 50-70s 8.00-9.00, 80s 7.00-8.00,
90s 6.50-7.00, 100s 6.00-6.50.
   KANSAS---Shipments 150-205-125---Movement expected to decrease sharply
as the harvest has concluded for most growers.
   NEBRASKA---Shipments 0-30-125---Movement expected to increase as more
growers begin harvesting.  Trading fairly active.  Unofficial prices for
Monday, August 16th, Russet Norkotah U.S. One baled 5/10 pound filmbags 5.50,
50 pound cartons 40-70s 8.50, 80s 8.00-8.50, 90-100s 7.00.  FIRST REPORT.
   DELAWARE---Shipments 62-88-112---Movement expected to remain about
the same. Trading moderate. Prices Round White large lower, 10 pound sacks
loose size A 1.15, others unchanged. Round White 50 pound sacks U.S. One
size A 4.50, large 4.50-5.00, baled 5/10 pound sacks 6.00, baled 10/5 pound
sacks mostly 7.00, 10 pound sacks loose mostly 1.15. Quality generally good.
   CENTRAL MICHIGAN---Shipments 20-28-22---Movement expected about the same.
Trading slow.  Prices lower.  Round White Onaway U.S. One size A 10-pound
open window sacks mostly 1.00.
---POTATOES FOR PROCESSING
   IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers was inactive.
Open-market prices paid to growers for Russet Burbank potatoes, storage-run,
bulk, per hundredweight, less dirt, rot and green tare.  F.O.B. growers
storage unless otherwise stated:  French-Fry Quality 2.50 U.S. Two Process
Grade 1 5/8 inch minimum.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments To Chippers 39**-102**-127---Movement expected to
increase.  Trading slow with most movement on pre-season contracts.  Prices
represent few open market sales.  Round White Atlantic 1 7/8 inch minimum
of good chipping quality bulk per hundredweight mostly 4.00.   **revised
   PENNSYLVANIA---Shipments To Chippers 6-22-45---Movement expected to
increase. Most movement on pre-season contracts.  Too few open market sales
to establish a market.
   WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK---Shipments To Chippers 0-0-13---Movement
expected to increase.  Most movement on pre-season contracts. Too few open
market sales to establish a market.
   OHIO---Shipments To Chippers 10-18-9---Movement expected to increase.
Most movement on pre-season contract.  Too few open market sales to quote.
   MAINE---Initial harvest underway.  FIRST REPORT.

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STAT News Service