United States Onion and Potato Market Trend Report

WASHINGTON - Jul 1/03 - SNS -- The latest weekly onion and potato market trend report was released by the USDA today.

AND 28, 2003, IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND HUNDRED WEIGHT (100,000 LBS) UNITS.
EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 29 - JULY 12, 2003. PRICES ARE FOR 
MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2003, COMPARED WITH MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2003.  UNLESS OTHERWISE 
STATED SALES ARE F.O.B. SHIPPING POINT BASIS OR PORT OF ENTRY AND EXTRA SERVICES 
ARE INCLUDED.




ONIONS AND POTATOES
---ONIONS, DRY
   NEW MEXICO---Shipments 194-278-281---Movement expected to decrease due to 
shortened holiday week.  Trading Yellow medium, repacker size and white 
moderate, others fairly slow.  Prices White higher, others lower.  50 lb sacks 
Yellow Globe type Super colossal 14.00-15.00, Colossal 9.00-10.00, jumbo mostly 
7.00, medium & repacker size 9.00-10.00, White jumbo 9.00-10.00, medium 8.00, 
repacker size 5.00-7.00, Red Globe type 25 lb sacks large mostly 4.00-5.00, 
medium mostly 3.50-4.00.
   SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 295-248-249---Movement expected to 
decrease due to shortened holiday week.  Trading medium Yellow moderate, others 
fairly slow.  Prices Yellow, White and Red Flat type generally unchanged, others 
lower.  50 lb sacks Yellow Globe Type Super colossal 13.00-14.00, Colossal 
mostly 8.00, jumbo 6.00-7.00, medium 9.00, White jumbo mostly 8.00, medium 7.00-
8.00, Red Globe type 25-lb sacks large mostly 3.50-4.00, medium mostly 
3.00-3.50, 40 lb carton Red Flat type jumbo mostly 7.00, medium 5.00-6.00.  Wide 
range in quality in Yellow, White and Red causing wide range in prices.
   SAN ANTONIO-WINTER GARDEN-LAREDO AREA, TEXAS---Shipments 93-88-109---Movement 
expected to decrease as some shippers finish for the season.  Trading fairly 
slow.  Prices lower.  50 lb sacks Yellow Globe Type jumbo 6.50-7.00, medium 
9.00.
   VIDALIA DISTRICT, GEORGIA---Shipments 91-87-70---Movement expected to decrease
as few additional growers finish for season.  Trading moderate. Prices medium 
higher, jumbo unchanged.  Yellow Granex type U.S. No. 1 40 lb cartons jumbo 
mostly 22.00; sacks 8 5-lb mesh bags mostly 16.00-18.00. 
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON---Shipments 0-0-53(includes export 0-0-9)---Movement
expected to increase slightly as harvest of over wintered Yellow Hybrid gets 
underway. Trading moderate. Prices Yellow Hybrid Type 50 lb sacks jumbo 6.00-7.00, 
medium 9.00-10.00. Quality generally good. FIRST REPORT.
   WALLA WALLA DISTRICT---Shipments 17-35-36(includes export 0-1-1)---Movement 
expected to increase slightly. Trading moderate. Prices 50 lb sacks unchanged, 
others slightly lower. 50 lb sacks colossal offerings insufficient to establish 
a market, jumbo 15.00-16.00, medium 10.00. 40 lb cartons jumbo 16.00-19.00, 
medium 10.00. Quality very good. Temperatures cooled considerable over the 
weekend of June 28-29 but highs near 90 degrees are forecast by the end 
of the week.
   TRANS-PECOS, TEXAS---Shipments 47-18-35---
---POTATOES
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT IDAHO---Shipments 727-729-701---
Movement expected about the same.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices baled slightly 
lower, others unchanged.  Russet Burbank, U.S. One baled 5-10 lb mesh bags non-
size A 2.75-3.50, 50-lb cartons 40s 4.00-4.50, 50s 4.50-5.00, 60s 5.50-6.00, 70s 
mostly 6.50-7.00, 80s mostly 6.00-6.50, 90s mostly 6.00-6.50, 100s mostly 
5.50-6.00.  At the Potato Growers of Idaho summer meeting June 25-26 statistics 
were given that grower numbers are falling and production-unit average size is 
700-1,000 acres.
   KERN DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 498-481-462---Movement expected to 
remain about the same although the percentage of Russets in the total will 
increase.  Trading moderate.  Prices Round Red and Yellow higher, others 
generally unchanged.  U.S. One Russet Norkotah 100 lb sacks 5-9 oz 9.00-10.00, 
50 lb carton 70s 7.00-7.50, 80s mostly 6.50, 90s mostly 6.00, 100s mostly 6.00, 
Long White 100 lb sacks size A 10.00-12.00, 50 lb cartons size A 9.00-10.00, 
Round Red 100 lb sacks size A  mostly 8.00, Yellow Type 50-lb carton size A mostly 
10.00-12.00.  Limited railcar availability may extend the season a week or so.  
Shipments last week were 45% Russet, 30% Round Red and 15% Long White.  Rail 
accounted for about 40% of the shipments last week.  High temperatures forecast 
in mid-upper 90's Monday-Friday.  Sheds are not expected to pack July 4th but 
some may pack Saturday, July 5 depending on transportation.  Shippers indicate 
generally good retail chain support.  Some fob prices are lower to help offset 
higher-than-usual truck spot freight rates.  Truck freight costs to many locations 
is higher than the value of potatoes on the load.
   SAN LUIS VALLEY COLORADO---Shipments 399-339-286---Movement expected 
increase slightly due to July 4th retail ad business.  Trading fairly slow.  
Prices unchanged.  Russet Norkotah/Nuggets U.S. One baled 5-10 lb filmbags 
non size A 3.00-3.50, 50 lb cartons 50s 4.50-6.00, 60s 5.50-6.50, 70s mostly 6.50, 
80s mostly 6.50, 90s mostly 6.00, 100s mostly 5.50, U.S. Two 100 lb sacks mostly 
4.00-5.00, U.S. Commercial bulk per hundredweight size A 3.00-3.50.  Some baled 
retail ad business booked at lower prices.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON & UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments All 
Washington Districts 145-152-137 (includes export 32-24-23)---Shipments 
Umatilla Basin 30-27-29 (includes export 6-5-10)---Movement expected about 
the same. Trading slow. Prices bales and carton 70-100s lower, others 
generally unchanged. U.S. One Russet Norkotah 2 inch or 4 ounce minimum 
baled filmbags non-size A 5/10 lb mostly 2.00-2.50, 10/5 lb mostly 
3.00-3.50, 50 lb carton 40s mostly 4.00, 50s mostly 4.00-4.50, 60s mostly 
5.00, 70-80s mostly 5.00-6.00, 90s mostly 5.50, 100s mostly 4.50-5.00. 
Quality generally good.  growers begin harvest. FIRST REPORT FOR 2003 CROP POTATOES.
   KLAMATH BASIN (SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA)---Shipments 
46-41-32---Movement expected about the same. Trading slow. Prices 90-100s 
slightly lower, others generally unchanged. Mostly Russet Norkotahs 
2 inch or 4 ounce minimum baled filmbags non-size A 5/10 lb 3.00-3.50, 
10/5 lb 4.00-4.50, 50 lb carton 40s 4.50-5.00, 50s 4.50-5.50, 60-70s 
6.00-7.00, 80s mostly 6.00-6.50, 90s 5.00-6.00, 100s 4.50-5.00, 10 ounce 
minimum 4.50-5.00. Quality generally good.
   EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA---Shipments 0-15-31---Movement expected to 
increase seasonably.  Trading fairly slow. Prices lower. 50 lb sacks Round White 
US One size A 5.00, Round Red size A mostly 7.00, size B mostly 10.00.
   ELIZABETH CITY DISTRICT---Shipments 0-0-23---Movement expected to increase 
seasonably.  Trading moderate. Prices 50 lb sacks Round Red U.S. One size A 
7.30-8.00; Round White Superior U.S. one size A 4.75-5.00. Quality good. 
---POTATOES FOR PROCESSING
   IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers was fairly active.  
Open-market prices paid to growers for Russet Burbank potatoes, storage-run, 
bulk, per cwt, F.O.B. growers storage:  Direct-to-Dehydration Quality (storage-
run) fair condition 1.25 delivered; Direct-to-dehydration Quality(seed tops-
unwashed, mostly 8 oz minimum) 2.50 U.S. Two Process Grade 1 5/8 inch minimum; 
French-Fry Quality 4.00 U.S. Two Process Grade 1 5/8 inch minimum , one small 
lot of Round Reds 3.00.  Open-market prices paid to shippers by processors, 
Russet Burbank, bulk, per cwt for washed Processing (Dehydration Quality) 1.25 
with weak undertone.  An Idaho dehydrator reports one of their plants will be 
down for three weeks during July.  A few Idaho fry contract potatoes were shipped
to a Columbia Basin, Washington plant last week.
   ELIZABETH CITY DISTRICT---Shipments 140-255-444---Movement expected to increase 
seasonably.  Trading moderate. Prices on contract are unchanged. Most movement 
on pre-season contract. Round White Atlantic 85% U.S. One per hundredweight 
contract 5.25-6.80, open market sales 3.50-4.00. Few open market sales to report 
as generally all loads moving on contract. Quality good.
   EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA---Shipments Light---Light harvesting is underway 
although most chipstock potato growers will not begin until after July 4. Most 
movement on preseason contracts. Sales to processors Round White 85% U.S. One 
mostly 1 5/8 inch minimum contract prices per hundredweight mostly 6.00-6.50. 
Too few open market sales to establish market.
  

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STAT News Service

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