Potato Stocks Remain 2% Above Last Year

WASHINGTON - May 14/04 - SNS -- April finished with 2% more potatoes on hand than was the case last year, according to the latest USDA stocks in all positions data.

The 15 major potato States held 84.8 million cwt (100 pound units) of potatoes in storage May 1, 2004, up 2% from last year and 4% above 2002. Potatoes in storage account for 21% of the 2003 fall storage States' production, up 1 percentage point from last year.

Disappearance of 319 million cwt of potatoes is down 2% from last year but 4% above two years ago. Shrink and loss, at 27.0 million cwt so far this season, is up 5% from last year and 8% above two years ago. This disappearance and loss includes unmarketable Maine potatoes disposed of through the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Processors used 154 million cwt of 2003 crop potatoes so far this season, down 3% from a year ago but 4% above two years ago. April usage of 16.7 million cwt is 2% above last year and up 1% from two years ago. Dehydrators used 34.6 million cwt to date, down 4% from last year.

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