U.S. Potato Inventories Rise

WASHINGTON - Jun 13/08 - SNS -- The 13 major potato States held 58.7 million cwt of potatoes in storage June 1, 2008, up 32% from a year ago and 41% above June 1,

2006, according to the USDA.

Disappearance from the start of harvest to June 1 was at 341 million cwt, 1% below last year but up 3% from 2006. Shrink and loss, at 24.6 million cwt, was down 4% from the same period in 2007 but up 4% from 2006.

Processors have used 176 million cwt of the 2007 potato crop so far this season, down 3% from last year's season-to-date usage but up 5% from 2 years ago. Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon total processing decreased 1% from a year ago and Maine's total processing was 4% below 2007. Washington and the rest of Oregon total processing was 4% lower than last season. Dehydrating usage accounted for 37.5 million cwt of the total processing, down 8% from last year but 10% above the same period in 2006.

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