United States Onion and Potato Market Trend Report

WASHINGTON - Apr 13/04 - SNS -- The latest weekly onion and potato market trend report was released by the USDA today.

APRIL 3 AND 10, 2004 IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND HUNDRED WEIGHT (100,000 LBS)
UNITS.  EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE PERIOD APRIL 11-24, 2004.  PRICES ARE
FOR MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2004 COMPARED WITH MONDAY, APRIL 5, 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
   MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH SOUTH TEXAS---Shipments 384-298-209---Movement
expected to remain about the same.  Trading White moderate, others fairly
active.  Prices White generally unchanged, others higher.  50 pound sacks
Yellow Grano type 40 pound carton colossal 14.00, jumbo 12.00, Yellow Grano
50 pound sacks Super colossal mostly 14.00, colossal 12.00, jumbo mostly
10.00, medium mostly 10.00, repacker size 8.00-9.00, White jumbo 10.00-12.00,
medium 8.00-10.00, repacker size mostly 8.00, Red 25 pound sacks jumbo mostly
7.00, medium mostly 7.00.  Shipments last week were approximately 46% Yellow,
19% White and 35% Red.
   LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS---Shipments 46-166-192---Movement expected to
increase as more shippers enter into the deal.  Trading active.  Prices higher.
Yellow 50 pound sacks Super colossal 14.00, colossal 12.00, jumbo 10.00,
medium mostly 10.00, repacker size mostly 8.00-9.00, Yellow 40 pound carton
colossal mostly 14.00, jumbo mostly 12.00.  Heavy rains were received in the
growing area over the weekend of April 10 with accumulation totals from 1/2
to 3 1/2 inches.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON---Shipments 182-97-74 (includes export 27-18-15)
---Movement expected to decrease slightly as additional shippers finish
for the season. Trading fairly slow. Prices unchanged. Yellow Hybrid 50 pound
sacks Jumbo 6.00-7.00, Medium 4.00-5.00. Most exports going to: Canada.
   WESTERN AND CENTRAL NEW YORK---Shipments 88-72-63---Movement expected to
decrease as the season begins to wind down. Trading fairly 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 mostly
8.00-8.50, 2 inch minimum 6.50-7.00, 25 pound sacks Red Globe type (last
report) supplies insufficient to establish a market.
   VIDALIA DISTRICT, GEORGIA---Shipments 0-2-18---Movement expected to
increase seasonally although the harvest of early varieties is currently
being slowed by wet fields from April 10 weekend scattered showers.
Trading moderate.  Prices Yellow Granex U.S. One 40 pound cartons jumbo
14.00-16.00.
   IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---CROP UPDATE---A few growers expect to start
harvesting the week of April 11.  Sufficient volume for the first F.O.B.
report is expected between April 15-20.  FIRST REPORT.
---POTATOES
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT IDAHO---Shipments 684-646-691---
Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading cartons 40-50s slow,
others moderate.  Prices on carton 40-50s slightly lower, carton 80s
slightly higher, others generally unchanged.  Russet Burbank and few Norkotah
U.S. One baled 5 10-pound mesh bags non-size A mostly 2.50, 50 pound cartons
40-50s mostly 13.50 60-70s mostly 13.50-13.75, 80s mostly 11.00, 90s mostly
6.75-7.00, 100s 5.50-6.00.  Ninety-Two percent of the shipments last week
were Russet Burbank according to the federal Marketing Order Committee.
   SAN LUIS VALLEY COLORADO---Shipments 411-456*-435 (includes exports
16-21*-12) *updated---Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading
moderate.  Prices generally unchanged.  Russet Norkotah and some Russet
Nugget U.S. One baled 5 10-pound film bags non size A mostly 2.50-2.75,
50 pound cartons 40-70s mostly 7.50, 80s mostly 7.00, 90s 5.00-6.00,
100s 5.00-5.50, 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
2.75-4.00, Yellow Type baled 10 5-pound film bags size A mostly 7.00.
A much needed snow storm fell over the weekend of April 10 delaying grain
planting and field work.  Reports indicate upwards of 6 inches of
wet snow fell.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 260-265-248---Movement expected to decrease
slightly.  Trading very slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  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 ounce 4.25-4.75, 50 pound cartons 50-70s mostly 7.50-8.00, 80s mostly
6.00-6.50, 90s mostly 5.00-5.25, 100s mostly 4.00-4.25
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON & UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments All
Washington Districts 188-190-199 (includes export 17-24-18)---Shipments
Umatilla Basin, OR 21-26-27(includes export 1-3-2)---Movement expected about
the same. Trading slow. Prices carton 60 and 70s slightly higher, 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 mostly 7.00, 50s 7.50-8.00, 60-70s 8.00-8.50,
80s mostly 7.00, 90s 5.50-6.00, 100s 4.50-5.00.  Quality generally good.
   NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON---Shipments included above---Movement expected to
decrease slightly. Trading slow. Prices generally unchanged. U.S. One 50 pound
carton Round Red Size A mostly 8.00, Size B mostly 14.00, One inch minimum
28.00-30.00. Quality generally good.
   SOUTH FLORIDA---Shipments 145-151-144----Movement expected to increase.
Trading Round Red Moderate, Round White fairly slow.  Prices Round Red
generally unchanged, Round White lower.  Round Red U.S. One 50 pound cartons
3/4-1 5/8" 25.30, U.S. One 50 pound sacks size A 9.30, size B 10.30-12.30;
Round White U.S. One 50 pound sacks size A 12.30.  Quality Good.
   RED RIVER VALLEY (MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA)---Shipments 89-92-85---Movement
expected to decrease slightly as more packers finish for the season.  Trading
moderate.  Prices lower.  U.S. One Round Red 100 pound sack size A mostly 6.00,
50 pound sacks size B mostly 6.00, baled 5 10-pound film bag size A mostly
4.25.  Most remaining packers indicate raw supplies of four to six weeks
remain to be packed.
   IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 18-50-50---Movement expected to
increase.  Unofficial prices for Monday, April 12th, 50-pound cartons U.S. One
size A Long White 16.00, Yellow-flesh 16.00, Round Red 8.00.  These potatoes
are packed and shipped from Kern County.
   KERN DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA---CROP UPDATE---Shipments may start the last week
of April or the first week of May.  The first USDA, NASS report estimated
California spring crop production at 6.83 million hundredweight, 18% below
last year.  January frosts were the major factor in lower yields.
   AROOSTOOK COUNTY MAINE---Shipments 99-80*-73----Movement expected
about the same.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices Round White higher on light
supplies, Russet Norkotah unchanged.  Round White U.S.One 10 pound open
window sacks loose 2 inch minimum mostly .60-.70, baled 10 5-pound
filmbags mostly 4.25-4.75, 2 1/4 inch minimum 5.00-6.50, Russet Norkotah 2
inch minimum 4.00-4.50.  Wide range in price and condition.    *revised
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 44-40-55---Movement expected to decrease following
the conclusion of holiday promotional shipments.  Trading fairly slow.
Prices Round White slightly higher, Russet unchanged.  Round White (supplies
in few hands) U.S. One size A 10-pound open window sacks loose mostly .75-.80,
Russet Norkotah and Goldrush 10 pound filmbags loose .70-.80.
   KLAMATH BASIN (NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON)---Shipments
35-29-41---Movement expected about the same. Trading slow. Prices
generally unchanged. Mostly Russet Norkotah baled filmbags non-size A
5-10 pound 3.00, 10-5 pound mostly 4.00, 50 pound cartons 40-50s mostly 10.00,
60-70s mostly 11.00, 80s 9.00, 90s mostly 7.50, 100s 6.00-6.50. Quality
generally good. Most sheds running partial schedules.
   NEW BRUNSWICK (CROSSINGS THROUGH MAINE POINTS)---Shipments 22-29-*---
Movement expected about the same.  Trading cartons fairly slow, baled
slow.  Prices generally 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 6.50-7.00, 80s 5.75-6.50, 90 and 100s 5.00-5.50.
*unavailable
---POTATOES FOR PROCESSING
   IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers was fairly slow.
Open-market prices paid to growers for Russet Burbank bulk potatoes, storage-
run, per hundredweight (cwt), F.O.B. growers storage:  Direct-to-Dehydration
Quality ("dry eliminators"-unwashed mostly 4 ounce or 2 inch maximum diameter
and some larger misshapen or potatoes with defects) 1.75; French-Fry Quality
chip type variety dirt, rot and green tare, 2 inch minimum 3.00; Russet
Burbank U.S. No. Two Process Grade 1 5/8 inch minimum 3.00.  Amsterdam Potato
Futures April 12th 13.04 cwt.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments to Chippers 252-247*-222---Movement expected to
remain about the same.  Trading slow.  Most movement on pre-season contract.
Few open market sales of Round White varieties 85% U.S. One or better of
good chipping quality bulk 1 7/8 inch minimum per hundredweight mostly
2.50-3.00.  *revised
   MAINE---Shipments to Chippers 48-41*-45---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 32-23-24---Movement expected to
continue seasonal decline as more growers finish for the season.
Trading slow.  Most movement from pre-season contracts.  Too few open
market sales to establish a market.
---POTATOES FOR SEED
   MAINE---Shipments 62-82-*---Movement expected about the same.
Trading slow.  Prices Superior and Norwis slightly lower, Reba
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 3.50-4.00, Reba prompt
delivery 5.50-6.00, Norwis prompt delivery  4.50-5.00.  Current shipments
mostly to New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.  Primary varieties include
Atlantic, Snowden and other chipping varieties; Round White Reba, Norwis
and Superior for the table market.  Shipments from the start of season
through April 3 total 785,846 cwt compared to the previous season to
date total of 894,654 cwt, a decrease of 12 per cent.   *unavailable
   MONTANA---Shipments 236-292-341---Total-to-date 1,158,000 hundredweight
(cwt). Total-to-date last season 1,197,000 cwt.  Final total last season
2,372,000 cwt.
   IDAHO---Shipments 437-858-310---Total-to-date 2,139,000 hundredweight
(cwt). Total-to-date last season 3,383,000 cwt.  Final total last season
7,297,000 cwt.
   COLORADO---Shipments 137-34-112---Total-to-date 821,000 hundredweight
(cwt), total-to-date last season 816,000 cwt.  Final total last season
1,163,000 cwt.
   MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA---Shipments 79-86-42---Total-to-date 886,000
hundredweight (cwt). Total-to-date last season 832,000 cwt.  Final total
last season 2,001,000 cwt.
   WISCONSIN---Shipments 143-53-unavailable---Total-to-date 762,000
hundredweight (cwt). Total-to-date last season 1,070,000 cwt.  Final total
last season 1,439,000 cwt.

---

STAT News Service

The subscriber version of the article is available by Clicking here