United States Onion and Potato Market Trend Report

WASHINGTON - May 18/04 - SNS -- The latest weekly onion and potato market trend report was released by the USDA today.

AND 15, 2004 IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND HUNDRED WEIGHT (100,000 LBS)
UNITS.  EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE PERIOD MAY 16-29, 2004.  PRICES
ARE FOR MONDAY, MAY 17, 2004 COMPARED WITH MONDAY, MAY 10, 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
   IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 286-403-435---Movement expected
to remain about the same.  Trading Yellow active, others moderate.  Prices
Yellow jumbo slightly higher, Red and White slightly lower, others generally
unchanged.  Yellow Grano 50 pound sacks Super colossal mostly 9.00, colossal
mostly 7.00, jumbo mostly 7.00, medium 6.00-7.00. Red 25 pound sacks jumbo
mostly 5.50-6.00, medium mostly 5.00.  White 50 pound sacks jumbo 5.00-6.00,
medium mostly 5.00.
   LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS---Shipments 430-319-202---Movement expected
to decrease as more shippers finish for the season.  Trading fairly active.
Prices higher.  Yellow Grano 50 pound sacks Super colossal 8.00-10.00,
colossal 8.00-9.00, jumbo 7.00-8.00, medium 7.00-8.00, repacker size 7.00-8.00.
White 50 pound sacks jumbo 12.00, medium 10.00.  Red 25 pound sacks jumbo
7.00, medium mostly 6.00.
   VIDALIA DISTRICT, GEORGIA---Shipments 153-160-161---Movement expected
to remain about the same.   Trading slow.  Prices lower.  Yellow Granex
type U.S. One 40 pound cartons colossal 9.00-10.00, jumbo mostly 8.00,
medium mostly 7.00.
   SAN ANTONIO-WINTER GARDEN-LAREDO DISTRICT---Shipments 40-55-93---Movement
expected to increase as more shippers get started.  Trading fairly active.
Prices Yellow medium and repacker size generally unchanged, others higher.
Yellow Grano 50 pound sacks Super colossal 19.00, colossal 8.00-9.00, jumbo
mostly 8.00, medium 6.00-7.00, repacker size 7.00. White 50 pound sacks jumbo
mostly 12.00, medium mostly 10.00.  Truck shortage limiting movement.
   ARIZONA---Shipments 0-20-50---Movement expected about the same.  Unofficial
prices for Monday, May 17, Yellow Grano 50 pound sacks jumbo, medium and
repacker size 6.00-7.00.
   SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 0-*-*---Movement expected to
increase as more shippers enter into the deal.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices
40 pound carton Red Flat Type jumbo 9.90-12.85, medium 9.00-10.85.
FIRST REPORT.    *unavailable
   NEW MEXICO---Few shippers will start harvesting the week of May 16 and
light shipments will start by the end of the week.  FIRST REPORT.
---POTATOES
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT IDAHO---Shipments 580-576-615---
Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices
carton 40-70s slightly lower, others generally unchanged.  Russet Burbank
U.S. One baled 5 10-pound mesh bags non-size A mostly 2.35-2.50, 50 pound
cartons 40-50s mostly 10.00-10.50, 60s 10.50-11.50, 70s mostly 11.00-11.50,
80s 10.00-10.50, 90s 6.00-6.50, 100s 5.00-5.50.  Ninety-nine percent of the
shipments last week were Russet Burbank according to the federal Marketing
Order Committee.  The downward trend on carton prices is expected to ease
with seed shipping winding down, and carton prices in other Russet
districts increasing.  Most shippers indicate plans to run until late July
or early August with 2003 crop supplies.  Statewide, 82 percent of the 2004
crop has been planted with 15 percent of the plantings emerged as of May
17th.  This is ahead of last years 70 percent planted and 5 percent emerged
according to the Idaho Agricultural Statistics Service).
   SAN LUIS VALLEY COLORADO---Shipments 368-377-396 (includes exports
13-8-8)---Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading Russet
cartons active for light supply, others slow.  Prices Russet cartons 40-80s
higher, others generally unchanged.  Russet Norkotah, Nugget and few
Centennial U.S. One baled 5 10-pound film bags non size A 2.50, 50 pound
cartons 40-50s mostly 9.50, 60-70s mostly 10.00, 80s 7.00-8.00, 90s mostly
5.50, 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
2.00-3.50.  Most packing sheds indicate plans to run into July with supplies
of 2003 crop and several plan to run year-around into new crop.  Some
shippers report running only one-half the amount of the carton sizes as of
a month ago with the switch to the Nugget variety from Norkotah.
   KERN DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 39-155-246---Movement expected to
increase as the few remaining sheds get started for the season.  Trading
slow.  Prices lower.  U.S. One 50 pound cartons Round Red size A 6.00-8.00,
size B 8.00-10.00; Long White size A 8.00-10.00; Yellow Type size A mostly
12.00, size B 7.00-8.00.  The first light shipments of the Russet Norkotah
variety is expected the week of May 23 but the majority of shippers will not
start until the first of June.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 235-230-227---Movement expected to remain
about the same.  Trading cartons fairly active, others fairly slow.  Prices
carton 80-100s slightly higher, others 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 6.00-6.75,
90s 5.00-5.50, 100s 4.00-4.50.
   CENTRAL AND NORTH FLORIDA---Shipments 172—186-223---Movement expected to
increase. Trading fairly slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  Round Red
U.S. One 50 pound cartons 3/4-1 5/8 inches 20.30, U.S. One 50 pound sacks
size A 8.30, size B 10.30-12.30; Round White U.S. One 50 pound sacks
size A 6.30, size B 5.30.  Truck shortage curtailing movement.  Quality good.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON & UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments All
Washington Districts 189-197-170 (includes export 29-31-25)---Shipments
Umatilla Basin, OR 33-34-32 (includes export 3-4-4)---Movement expected
about the same. Trading slow. Prices generally unchanged. Mostly Russet
Norkotah US One 2 inch or 4 ounce minimum. Baled 5 10-pound filmbags
non Size A 2.00-2.25, 10 5-pound filmbags non Size A 3.00-3.25, 50 pound
cartons 40s 6.00-7.00, 50s 7.00-8.00, 60-70s 8.00-8.50, 80s mostly 7.00,
90s 5.50-6.00, 100s 4.50-5.00. Quality generally good. According to the
Washington Agricultural Statistics Service, potatoes planted for week
ending May 16 were 100%, compared to the 5 year average of 100%. Potatoes
emerged were 70%, compared to the 5 year average of 59%.
   CENTRAL ARIZONA---Shipments 12-68-96---Movement expected to remain about
the same.  Trading slow.  Prices lower.  U.S. One Round Red 50 pound carton
size A mostly 8.00-8.25, size B mostly 9.00-10.00, Creamers 3/4-1 5/8 inches
mostly 25.00.
   RED RIVER VALLEY(MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA)---Shipments 68-71-62---Movement
expected decrease as a few additional shippers finish for the season.
Trading fairly slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  U.S. One Round Red
100 pound sack size A mostly 6.00, 50 pound sacks size B mostly 5.50-6.00,
baled 5 10-pound film bag size A mostly 4.25.  Wide range in appearance.
   AROOSTOOK COUNTY MAINE---Shipments 69-53*-54---Movement expected to
decrease seasonally.  Trading slow.  Prices unchanged.  Round White
U.S.One 10 pound open window sacks loose 2 inch minimum mostly .65-.70,
baled 10 5-pound filmbags mostly 4.25-4.75, 2 1/4 inch minimum 5.25-6.00,
Russet Norkotah 2 inch minimum 4.00-4.50.  Wide range in condition.
*revised
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 28-37-45---Movement expected to decrease as more
growers near completion.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices unchanged.
Russet Norkotah and Goldrush 10 pound filmbags loose .70-.80.
   KLAMATH BASIN (NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON)---Shipments
32-34-28---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 4.00, 50 pound cartons 40-50s 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 continue to run on partial schedules.
   NEW BRUNSWICK (CROSSINGS THROUGH MAINE POINTS)---Shipments 25-20-*---
Movement expected about the same.  Trading slow.  Prices unchanged.
Russet Norkotah U.S.One 2 inch or 4 ounce minimum baled 10 5-pound
filmbags  4.00-4.50, 50-pound cartons 70s mostly 6.00-6.50, 80s 5.50-6.00,
90 and 100s 5.00-5.50.  Most sheds working part-time due to poor marketing
conditions.  *unavailable
---POTATOES FOR PROCESSING
   IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers was slow.
Open-market prices paid to growers for Russet Burbank potatoes, storage-run,
bulk, per hundredweight (cwt), less dirt, rot and green tare, F.O.B. growers
storage unless otherwise stated:  French-Fry Quality:  5.00, 2 inch minimum
and 5.15 for U.S. Two Processing Grade 1 5/8 inch minimum.  Again some
fry-quality purchases were from grower-shippers.  Idaho (only) processing in
April was 6.25 million hundredweight. Dehydration as well as fry usage
continues to lag last year nationally.  A company has introduced the first
trans-fat free frozen French fry to address health concerns.
   CENTRAL AND NORTH FLORIDA---Shipments To Chippers 214-367-758---Movement
expected to remain about the same. Trading fairly slow. Prices slightly
lower.  Round White Atlantic 85% or Better U.S. One bulk per hundredweight
(cwt) 1 7/8" minimum contract sales 7.00-7.50, open market sales 3.00.
Quality good.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments to Chippers 201-174-121---Movement expected
to decrease slightly.  Trading slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  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 2.25-2.50.  2004 Crop update:  Planting
has been stalled in Montcalm and surrounding areas by several inches of
rain and wet fields during the week of May 9.  Additional scattered
showers are forecast for the week of May 16.  Some  replanting will
be necessary
   MAINE---Shipments to Chippers 58-54-58---Movement expected to
decrease slightly.  Trading slow.  Most movement on pre-season contract.
Too few open market sales to establish a market.
---POTATOES FOR SEED
   IDAHO---Shipments 594-453-634---Total-to-date 6,094,000 hundredweight
(cwt).  Total-to-date last season 6,830,000 cwt.  Final total last season
7,297,000 cwt.
   MONTANA---Shipments 215-231-118---Total-to-date 2,389,000 hundredweight
(cwt).  Total-to-date last season 2,335,000 cwt.  Final total last season
2,372,000 cwt.
   WISCONSIN---Shipments 97-28-50---Total-to-date 1,290,000 hundredweight
(cwt).  Total-to-date last season 1,412,000 cwt.  Final total last season
1,439,000 cwt.
   COLORADO---Shipments 29-18-12---Total-to-date 1,032,000 hundredweight
(cwt). Total-to-date last season 1,141,000 cwt.  Final total last season
1,163,000 cwt.
   MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA---Shipments 394-247-unavailable---Total-to-date
1,756,000 hundredweight (cwt). Total-to-date last season 1,780,000 cwt.
Final total last season 2,001,000 cwt.
   MAINE---Shipments 70-47-*---Movement expected about the same.
Trading very slow.  Most current shipments to New York, Pennsylvania and
Canada.  Primary varieties include Snowden, Atlantic and other chipping
varieties as well as Round White Norwis, Superior and Yukon Gold for the
table market.   Too few sales to establish a market.  Shipments expected
to continue into early June.  *unavailable.  LAST REPORT.

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STAT News Service