United States Onion and Potato Market Trend Report

WASHINGTON - Feb 24/04 - SNS -- The latest weekly onion and potato market trend report was released by the USDA today.

AND 21, 2004 IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND HUNDRED WEIGHT (100,000 LBS) UNITS.  
EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE PERIOD FEBRUARY 22 - MARCH 6, 2004.  PRICES
ARE FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2004 COMPARED WITH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2004.
UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED SALES ARE F.O.B. SHIPPING POINT BASIS (INCLUDING 
DELIVERED SALES F.O.B. SHIPPING POINT BASIS) OR PORT OF ENTRY AND EXTRA 
SERVICES ARE INCLUDED.  PRICES REPRESENT OPEN (SPOT) MARKET SALES BY FIRST
HANDLERS ON PRODUCT OF GENERALLY GOOD QUALITY AND CONDITION UNLESS OTHERWISE
STATED AND MAY INCLUDE PROMOTIONAL ALLOWANCES OR OTHER INCENTIVES.  NO 
CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO AFTER-SALE ADJUSTMENTS UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED.
BROKERAGE FEES PAID BY SHIPPER ARE INCLUDED IN THE PRICE REPORTED.







ONIONS AND POTATOES
---ONIONS, DRY
   IDAHO AND MALHEUR COUNTY, OREGON---Shipments 267-236-259---Movement expected 
to remain about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices Yellow jumbo and white lower, 
others generally unchanged.  50 pound sacks U.S. One Yellow Spanish Hybrid Super 
colossal mostly 12.50, colossal mostly 10.00, jumbo mostly 8.00-8.50, medium two 
one-fourth inch minimum mostly 6.00-6.50; White large 12.00-13.00, medium mostly 
12.00; Red 25 pound sacks large mostly 9.50, medium mostly 6.00.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON---Shipments 270-281-249 (includes export 72-70-64)---
Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading moderate.  Prices slightly 
lower. Yellow Hybrid 50 pound sacks Jumbo 7.50-8.00, Medium mostly 6.00. 
25 pound sacks Red Jumbo mostly 8.00, Medium mostly 5.00. White 50 pound sacks
Jumbo mostly 11.00-12.00, Medium mostly 11.00-12.00. Remaining supplies of White 
onions in few hands.  Most exports going to: Canada, Japan, Puerto Rico, 
South Korea, Taiwan and United Kingdom.
   MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH SOUTH TEXAS---Shipments 70-121-152---Movement 
expected to remain about the same.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices lower.  
50 pound sacks White jumbo 10.00, medium mostly 8.00, repacker size 7.00-8.00;
Yellow 40 pound carton jumbo mostly 14.00; Yellow 50 pound sacks jumbo mostly 
10.00, medium mostly 8.00, repacker size mostly 7.00.  These onions are inspected
under the 8e requirements of Federal Marketing Orders, using the Bermuda 
Grano-Granex grade standards.  Shipments last week were approximately 
80% Yellow, 12% White and 8% Red.
   WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK---Shipments 63-66-65---Movement expected to remain
about the same. Trading fairly slow. Prices lower. Yellow Globe type U.S. One 
50 pound sacks medium 7.00-7.50, repacker size mostly 6.00-6.50, master container 
16 3-pound mesh sacks medium 2 1/4 inch minimum 8.50-9.00, 2 inch minimum 
7.50-8.00, 25 pound sacks Red Globe type jumbo mostly 9.00-9.50, medium 
mostly 4.75-5.00. 
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 37-36-31---Movement expected to decrease as more growers 
finish for the season. Trading fairly slow. Prices slightly lower. Yellow Globe 
type U.S. One 50 pound sacks medium mostly 7.00-7.25, repacker size mostly 
6.00-6.25, master container 16 3-pound mesh sacks medium 9.50-10.00, repacker 
size 7.00-7.50. 
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 27-28-29---Movement expected to decrease 
slightly.  Trading moderate.  Prices lower.  Yellow Globe type U.S. One 50 pound
sacks medium mostly 8.00, master container 16 3-pound mesh sacks medium 
9.00-9.50.
   ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK---Shipments 22-24-27---Movement expected to remain 
about the same. Trading slow.  Prices unchanged. Yellow Globe type U.S. One 
50 pound sacks 2 inch minimum 6.50-7.00, master container 16 3-pound mesh sacks
medium 2 1/4 inch minimum 9.00-9.50, 2 inch minimum mostly 7.50-8.00, Red Globe 
type 25 pound sacks jumbo 9.00-10.00, medium mostly 5.00-5.50.  Remaining 
supplies in few hands. Wide range in quality.
---POTATOES
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT IDAHO---Shipments 625-594-616---
Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading cartons 40-70s very active, 
U.S. Two fairly slow, others moderate.  Prices higher.  Russet Burbank and some 
Norkotah U.S. One baled 5 10-pound mesh bags non-size A mostly 2.50-2.75, 
50 pound cartons 40-70s 11.00-11.50, 80s mostly 9.25-9.50, 90s mostly 5.25-5.50,
100s mostly 4.25-4.50.  According to Marketing Order data, shipments last week
were approximately 70% Russet Burbank.
   SAN LUIS VALLEY COLORADO---Shipments 372-365-395 (includes exports 16-16-12)
---Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices 
generally unchanged.  U.S. One Russet Norkotah baled 5 10-pound film bags 
non size A mostly 3.00, 50 pound cartons 40s mostly 7.00-7.50, 50-70s mostly
7.50-8.00, 80s 6.50-7.00, 90s 5.00-6.00, 100s mostly 5.00, U.S. Commercial 
unwashed bulk per hundredweight (cwt) size A 3.75-4.25, U.S. One Round Red 
baled 5 10-pound film bags size A 3.00-4.00, Yellow Type baled 10 5-pound 
film bags size A 6.00-8.00.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 304-259-242---Movement expected to remain
about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices Russet baled 5 10-pound film bags 
size A and 5-9 ounce slightly lower, others generally unchanged.  U.S. One 
Russet Norkotah baled 5 10-pound film bags non-size A 2.75-3.00, size A 
mostly 3.00-3.50, 5-9 ounce 4.00-4.75, 50 pound cartons 50-70s mostly 
7.00-7.50, 80s 6.00-6.50, 90s mostly 5.00-5.25, 100s mostly 4.00-4.25, 
Round Red 50 pound sacks size A 3.00-3.50, size B mostly 6.00-6.50.  
Round White unofficial prices Monday, February 23rd 50 pound sacks U.S. One 
size A 3.00-3.50.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON & UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments All 
Washington Districts 149-135-167 (includes export 19-23-31)---Shipments 
Umatilla Basin, OR 11-26-24 (includes export 1-1-2)---Movement expected 
about the same. Trading Carton 90-100s active, Carton 40-80s fairly 
active, bales slow. Prices Carton 90-100s slightly higher, bales 
lower, others generally unchanged. Mostly Russet Norkotah US One 2 inch 
or 4 ounce minimum. Baled 5 10-pound filmbags non Size A 2.00-2.50, 
10 5-pound filmbags non Size A 3.00-3.50, 50 pound Cartons 40s 6.50-7.50,
50s mostly 7.00-8.00, 60-70s 8.00-8.50, 80s 6.50-7.00, 90s mostly 5.50-6.00,
100s mostly 5.00. Some sheds were reporting good export demand for 
90-100 counts. Quality generally good. 
   NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON---Shipments included above---Movement expected 
about the same. Trading Round Red size A fairly slow, others moderate. Prices
generally unchanged. U.S. One 50 pound carton Round Red Size A 8.00-10.00, 
Size B 14.00, One inch minimum 30.00. Yukon Gold Size A mostly 13.00, 
Size B mostly 7.00-8.00, One inch minimum 30.00. Quality generally good. 
   RED RIVER VALLEY(MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA)---Shipments 128-107-90--- Movement 
expected to remain about the same.  Trading size A slow, size B fairly active.  
Prices size A generally unchanged, size B higher.  U.S. One Round Red 100 lb 
sack size A mostly 6.00-6.50, 50 pound sacks size B mostly 6.00-6.50, 
baled 5 10-pound film bag size A mostly 4.25-4.50.
   SOUTH FLORIDA---Shipments 26-68-89---Movement expected to increase. Trading
moderate. Prices generally unchanged. Round Red 50 pound cartons 
3/4-1 5/8" 30.30. U.S. One 50 pound sacks size A 6.30, size B 12.30.  Round 
White volume is expected to be sufficient to report price trends by March 5.
Quality good.
   AROOSTOOK COUNTY MAINE---Shipments 93-74*-87---Movement expected about the 
same.  Trading slow. Prices lower.  Round White U.S.One 10 pound open window 
sacks loose 2 inch minimum mostly .50-.55, baled 10 5-pound filmbags mostly 
3.75-4.00, 2 1/4 inch minimum mostly 4.50-5.00, Russet Norkotah 2 inch 
minimum 4.00-4.50.  *revised
   KERN DISTRICT CALIFORNIA---Winter Crop Shipments 71-61-65---Movement 
expected to decrease as the season winds down.  Trading moderate.  Unofficial
prices for Monday, February 23rd,  50 pound cartons U.S. One Round Red 
size A 6.00-7.00, size B 12.00-14.00, Long White size A 18.00, size B 8.00-10.00.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 42-40-39---Movement expected about the same.  
Trading slow.  Prices unchanged.  Round White U.S. One size A 10-pound 
open window sacks loose .70-.75, Russet Norkotah and Goldrush 10 pound 
filmbags loose mostly .70-.80.                  
   KLAMATH BASIN (NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON)---Shipments 
42-34-36---Movement expected about the same. Trading slow. Prices 
generally unchanged. Russet Norkotah baled filmbags non-size A 5-10 pound 
mostly 3.00-3.25, 10-5 pound mostly 4.00-4.25, 50 pound cartons 40-70s 
mostly 10.00, 80s 7.00-8.00, 90s 6.00-7.00, 100s mostly 5.00. Quality generally 
good. Some sheds are operating on partial schedules.
   LONG ISLAND NEW YORK---Shipments 18-24-19 (includes export 3-3-4)---
Movement expected about the same.  Trading very slow.  Prices generally
unchanged.  Round White U.S.One size A 50 pound sacks mostly 2.75-3.00, large 
mostly 3.75-4.00, baled 10 5-pound filmbags mostly 4.75-5.00, 5 10-pound filmbags
mostly 4.00-4.25.         
   NEW BRUNSWICK(CROSSINGS THROUGH MAINE POINTS)---Shipments 44-22-*---   
Movement expected about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices lower.  Russet 
Norkotah U.S.One 2 inch or 4 ounce minimum baled 10 5-pound filmbags 
mostly 4.00-4.50, 50-pound cartons 70 size 6.25-6.75, 80 size 5.50-6.00, 
90-100 size mostly 5.00-5.25.  *not available
---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 hundredweight (cwt), less dirt, rot and serious green tare F.O.B. growers
storage unless otherwise stated:  French-Fry Quality:  4.75 1 5/8 inch minimum, 4.25
1 7/8 inch minimum.  The Amsterdam April potato futures contract fell to $9.27 
per cwt on February 23rd.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments to Chippers 176-170*-178---Movement expected about the 
same. Trading slow.  Most movement on pre-season contract.  Too few open market 
sales to establish a market.  *revised
   MAINE---Shipments to Chippers 43-29*-36---Movement expected about the 
same.  Trading slow.  Most movement on pre-season contract.  Too few 
open market sales to establish a market.  *revised
   NEW YORK---Shipments to Chippers 30-43*-30---Movement expected about 
the same.  Trading slow.  Most movement from pre-season contracts. Too few open
market sales to establish a market.   *revised      
   PENNSYLVANIA---Shipments to Chippers 20-23-17---Movement expected 
about the same.  Trading slow.  Most movement from pre-season contracts.  Too 
few open market sales to establish a market.  
---POTATOES FOR SEED
   MAINE---Shipments 33-64-*---Movement expected to increase slightly.  
Trading slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  Most movement from earlier 
sales.  Prices represent few new sales.  Weekly price range of Maine G1 
or better Certified US One size A bulk per hundredweight (cwt) Superior 
prompt delivery mostly 5.00-5.50, Reba and Eva February-March delivery 
6.50-7.00, Yukon Gold February delivery 8.00-9.00 cwt (in 50 pound bags).
Current shipments mostly to North Carolina and Florida.  Primary varieties 
include Atlantic and other chipping varieties and Superior for the table 
market.  Shipments from start of season through February 14th are 334,509 
cwt compared to the previous season to date total of 387,803 cwt.   
Truck shortage delaying some shipments.  *not available  

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STAT News Service

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