Potato Stocks Drop 17%

WASHINGTON - May 14/02 - STAT -- Potato stocks started May sharply below year earlier levels, according to the latest stocks in all positions report from the USDA. Even so, stocks on hand remain at the high of their recent norms.

May 1, 2002 potato stocks totaled 91.1 million cwt, down 17% from 2001 but 5% above two years ago. Potatoes in storage account for 23% of the fall storage States' production, down 1%age point from a year ago.

Disappearance from the start of harvest to May 1, at 303 million cwt, is down 13% from the 2000 crop and 9% below two years ago. This is the lowest disappearance since 1992. April disappearance of 37.8 million cwt is down 15% from a year ago and 9% below 2000. Shrink and loss to this point in the season is 24.4 million cwt, down 32% from last year and 17% below two years ago.

Processing of 2001 crop potatoes totaled 148 million cwt to May 1, down 13% from the 2000 crop and 11% below two years ago. In April, processors used 16.5 million cwt of potatoes, 12% below a year ago and 9% below two years ago.

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