U.S. Potato Stocks Up 11%

WASHINGTON - Jun 15/05 - SNS -- Potato stocks in the 15 major potato States started the month 11% above year earlier levels at 51.0 million cwt (100 pound units), according to the USDA stocks estimates.

Potatoes in storage account for 13% of the 2004 fall storage States' production, 2 percentage points above last year.

Disappearance of 352 million cwt from the start of harvest to June 1, is down 1% from last year and 2% below two years ago. Shrink and loss, at 31.1 million cwt, is up 4% from last year and 14% above the same date in 2003.

Processors have used 173 million cwt of 2004 crop potatoes so far this season, down 1% from a year ago and 4% below two years ago. May usage, at 19.0 million cwt, is 3% below last year but 3% above two years ago. Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon, total processing increased 3% from a year ago, while Washington and the rest of Oregon total processing decreased 1% from last season. Dehydrating usage accounts for 36.0 million cwt of the total processing, down 8% from last year and 11% below the same date in 2003.

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