Little Change in Potato Supplies

WASHINGTON - Jan 17/07 - SNS -- Potatoes in all positions in the 13 largest producing regions in the United states were little change from year earlier levels, totalling 220 million cwt (100 pound units) as of January 1.

The USDA reports potatoes in storage account for 58% of the 2006 fall storage States' production, down 1 percentage point from last year. Klamath Basin stocks were added to the potato stocks program starting with December 2006 and total 3.40 million cwt on January 1, 2007. Klamath Basin includes California and Klamath County, Oregon potato stocks.

Disappearance of 162 million cwt from the start of harvest to January 1, is up 6% from last year. Shrink and loss, at 16.1 million cwt, is up 7% from the previous year.

Processors have used 88.5 million cwt of 2006 crop potatoes so far this season, up 9% from a year ago and 3% above 2 years ago. Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon total processing increased 12% from a year ago, Maine's total processing was 26% above the same date in 2006, and Washington and the rest of Oregon total processing was up 3% from last season. Dehydrating usage accounts for 16.5 million cwt of the total processing, up 5% from last year but 11% below the same date in 2005.

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