United States Onion and Potato Market Trend Report

WASHINGTON - Mar 23/04 - SNS -- The latest weekly onion and potato market trend report was released by the USDA today.

13, AND 20, 2004 IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND HUNDRED WEIGHT (100,000 LBS)
UNITS.  EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 21-APRIL 3, 2004.
PRICES ARE FOR MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2004 COMPARED WITH MONDAY, MARCH 15, 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 242-254-267---Movement
expected to decrease as more shippers finish for the season.  Trading
active except Yellow medium and Red moderate.  Prices higher except
Yellow and red medium generally unchanged.  50 pound sacks U.S. One
Yellow Spanish Hybrid Super colossal 19.00-20.00, colossal 16.00-17.00,
jumbo 14.00-15.00, medium two one-fourth inch minimum 8.00-10.00,
Red 25 pound sacks large 9.50-10.50, medium 8.00-8.50.  2004 Crop Update:
Some growers have started planting the week of March 14 as temperatures
were in the mid to year 60?s.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON---Shipments 224-264*-245 (includes export
55-70*-36)---Movement expected to decrease slightly. Trading fairly
active on the remaining supplies of both Yellow and Red onions. Prices
Yellow higher, Red unchanged. Yellow Hybrid 50 pound sacks Jumbo
10.00-12.00, Medium mostly 6.00. 25 pound sacks Red Jumbo 7.00-8.00,
Medium 4.00-5.00. Most exports going to: Canada.   A few shippers are
expected to finish packing their remaining inventory by March 26.
* revised.
   MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH SOUTH TEXAS---Shipments 119-148-145---Movement
expected to increase as additional growers get underway with the harvest.
Trading White fairly active, Yellow and Red moderate.  Prices White higher,
Red lower.  50 pound sacks White jumbo 14.00, medium mostly 12.00, repacker
size 10.00, Yellow 40 pound carton jumbo mostly 20.00, Yellow 50 pound sacks
colossal 22.00, jumbo 18.00-20.00, medium 12.00-14.00, repacker size
10.00-12.00, Red 25 pound sacks jumbo mostly 9.00, medium mostly 7.00.
Shipments last week were approximately 72% Yellow, 14% White and 14% Red.
   WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK---Shipments 52-52-73---Movement expected to
decrease slightly. Trading active. Prices unchanged. Yellow Globe type U.S.
One 50 pound sacks medium 5.50-6.00, master container 16 3-pound mesh sacks
medium 2 1/4 inch minimum 8.50-9.00, 2 inch minimum 6.50-7.00, 25 pound
sacks Red Globe type jumbo 8.00-8.50, medium 4.00-4.50.
   ORANGE COUNTY NEW YORK---Shipments 20-25-21---Movement expected to
decrease as more growers finish for the season. Trading moderate on light
supplies. Prices unchanged. Yellow Globe type U.S. One 50 pound sacks
2 1/4 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 (last report) type supplies insufficient to establish a market.
Remaining supplies of Yellow Globe type in few hands.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 20-18-15---Movement expected to decrease as
more growers finish for the season. Trading moderate on light supplies.
Prices unchanged. Yellow Globe type U.S. One 50 pound sacks medium
6.50-7.00, repacker size mostly 6.00-6.25, master container 16 3-pound mesh
sacks medium 9.00-9.50, repacker size 6.50-7.00.
   LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS---2004 Crop Update---A few growers started
with their harvest the week of March 21 and light shipments will start.
Most shippers do not anticipate starting until the following week.  The F.O.B.
report may be started the week of March 28 if volume is warranted.
FIRST REPORT.
   IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---CROP UPDATE---The crop is indicated to be
in good condition.  The weather has been cooperative and growers expect to
began harvest around the week of April 18th or April 25th.
---POTATOES
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT IDAHO---Shipments 620-626-612---
Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading cartons very active,
others fairly slow.  Prices on count cartons were slightly higher, bales
unchanged.  Russet Burbank and few Norkotah U.S. One baled 5 10-pound mesh
bags non-size A mostly 2.50, 50 pound cartons 40-70s mostly 13.50,
80s mostly 10.25-10.50, 90s mostly 6.25-6.50, 100s mostly 5.25-5.50.
Eighty-six percent of the shipments for the week of March 14 were Russet
Burbank according to the Marketing Order Committee.  2004 Crop Update:
Western Idaho noted potato planters in the field planting new crop Russet
Norkotah over the weekend of March 20 and a few days earlier.
   SAN LUIS VALLEY COLORADO---Shipments 388-391-377 (includes exports
13-13-15)---Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading moderate.
Prices Russet carton 40-70s lower, others generally unchanged.  Russet
Norkotah and some Russet Nugget U.S. One baled 5 10-pound film bags
non size A 2.50-3.00, 50 pound cartons 40-70s mostly 7.00-8.00, 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 7.00-9.00.
2004 Crop Update:  Colorado shippers planted new crop Norkotah in Kansas
fields on March 8 and in Nebraska on March 22.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 242-258-229---Movement expected to decrease
slightly.  Trading carton fairly active, others moderate.  Prices slightly
higher.  U.S. One Russet Norkotah baled 5 10-pound film bags non-size A mostly
2.75, size A 3.00-3.50, 5-9 oz 4.25-4.75, 50 pound cartons 50-70s mostly 8.00,
80s 6.50-6.75, 90s mostly 5.25-5.50, 100s mostly 4.25-4.50.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON & UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments All Washington
Districts 206-208-218 (includes export 32-27-32)---Shipments Umatilla Basin,
OR 26-23-1 (includes export 3-2-0)---Movement expected about the same. Trading
cartons fairly active, others slow. Prices cartons 40-80s 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 40-60s 8.00, 70s mostly 8.00, 80s mostly 7.00,
90s 5.50-6.00, 100s mostly 5.00. Quality generally good.
   NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON---Shipments included above---Movement expected about
the same. Trading Round Red size A fairly slow, others moderate. Prices Round Red
Size B and Yukon Size A slightly higher, others generally unchanged. U.S. One
50 pound carton Round Red size A 8.00-9.00, size B 14.00-15.00, One inch
minimum 30.00. Yukon Gold size A 12.00-14.00, size B mostly 7.00-8.00, One inch
minimum 30.00. Quality generally good. A few packingsheds have finished for the
season.  Several more anticipate finishing by April 3.
   SOUTH FLORIDA---Shipments 148-171-192---Movement expected to increase on
Round White, remain about the same on Round Red. Trading Round Red size A and
Round White size A active, others fairly slow.   Prices Round Red size A higher,
Round Red size B lower, others generally unchanged. Round Red U.S. One 50 pound
cartons 3/4-1 5/8 inch 30.30, U.S. One 50 pound sacks size A 8.30-9.30,
size B 10.30-12.30; Round White (supply fairly light) U.S. One 50 pound sacks
size A 20.30. Quality Good.
   AROOSTOOK COUNTY MAINE---Shipments 93-107*-100---Movement expected to remain
about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  Round White
U.S.One 10 pound open window sacks loose 2 inch minimum mostly .50-.55,
baled 10 5-pound filmbags 3.50-4.00, 2 1/4 inch minimum mostly 4.50-5.00,
Russet Norkotah 2 inch minimum 4.00-4.50.  Truck shortages continue to
affect movement.  *revised
   RED RIVER VALLEY(MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA)---Shipments 78-87-82---Movement
expected to remain about the same.  Trading size A moderate, size B active.
Prices size B slightly lower, others generally unchanged.  U.S. One Round Red
100 pound sack size A mostly 6.00, 50 pound sacks size B mostly 6.50,
baled 5 10-pound film bag size A mostly 4.25.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 38-43-42---Movement expected about the same.
Trading fairly 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
33-34-29---Movement expected about the same. Trading cartons moderate,
others slow. Prices carton 60-90s slightly higher, others generally
unchanged. Mostly 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 40-50s mostly
10.00, 60-70s 10.00-11.00, 80s 8.00-9.00, 90s 7.00-7.50, 100s 6.00-6.50.
Quality generally good. Most sheds are running partial schedules.
   LONG ISLAND NEW YORK---Shipments 21-21-12 (includes export 4-5-*)---
Movement expected to decrease seasonally as supplies are light and in too
few hands to establish a market.  Light shipments expected through March.
*not available due to disclosure.  LAST REPORT.
   NEW BRUNSWICK(CROSSINGS THROUGH MAINE POINTS)---Shipments 17-29-*---
Movement expected about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices cartons higher,
baled unchanged.  Russet Norkotah U.S.One 2 inch or 4 ounce minimum
baled 10 5-pound filmbags mostly 4.00-4.50, 50-pound cartons 70s mostly
6.75-7.00, 80s 5.75-6.50, 90 and 100s 5.00-5.50.  *unavailable
   IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Very light shipments of 2004 Crop Long
White, Round Red and Yellow-flesh varieties are just beginning.  The overall
volume will be light through early April due to frost during the growing
season.  These potatoes are trans-shipped and packed in Kern County.
FIRST REPORT.
---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), F.O.B. growers storage unless otherwise
stated:  French-Fry Quality:  U.S. Process Grade No. 2  1 5/8 inch minimum
4.75-5.00 mostly 5.00.  Pre-season contract negotiations by fryers with the
grower bargaining group stalled last week but most expect the contract could
be finalized this week.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments to Chippers 222-241*-269---Movement expected
about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  Most
movement on pre-season contract.    Prices represent few open market
sales.  Round White various chipping varieties 85% or better U.S.One
bulk per hundredweight 1 7/8 inch minimum mostly 2.25-2.50.  *revised
   MAINE---Shipments to Chippers 43-47*-47---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 40-38-39---Movement expected to
decrease slightly.  Trading slow.  Most movement from pre-season contracts.
Too few open market sales to establish a market.
   PENNSYLVANIA---Shipments to Chippers 17-17-14---Movement expected to
decrease seasonally.  Trading slow. Too few open market sales to establish
a market.
---POTATOES FOR SEED
   MAINE---Shipments 70-71-*---Movement expected about the same.
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 4.00-4.50, Reba and Norwis prompt delivery mostly
5.00-5.50, Dark Red Norland (in 50 pound sacks) 9.50-10.00. Current
shipments mostly to North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, New York and
Maryland.  Primary varieties include Atlantic and other chipping
varieties, Dark Red Norland and Round White Superior for the table market.
Shipments from start of season through March 13 total 587,344 cwt compared
to the previous season to date total of 566,489 cwt. Truck shortages has
hampered deliveries.  *unavailable

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STAT News Service

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