United States Onion and Potato Market Trend Report

WASHINGTON - May 25/04 - SNS -- The latest weekly onion and potato market trend report was released by the USDA today.

22, 2004 IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND HUNDRED WEIGHT (100,000 LBS) UNITS.
EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE PERIOD MAY 23-JUNE 5, 2004.  PRICES ARE FOR
MONDAY, MAY 24, 2004 COMPARED WITH MONDAY, MAY 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
   IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 403-435-408---Movement expected to
decrease seasonably as harvest begins to wind down.  Trading Yellow very active,
others fairly slow.  Prices Yellow colossal slightly higher, Red jumbo slightly
lower, others generally unchanged.  Yellow Grano 50 lb sacks colossal mostly
7.00-7.50, jumbo mostly 7.00, medium 6.00-7.00, Red 25 lb sacks jumbo mostly
5.00-6.00, medium mostly 5.00, White 50 lb sacks jumbo 5.00-6.00, medium mostly
5.00.
   LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS---Shipments 319-202-77---Movement expected to
decrease as more shippers finish for the season.  Light shipments expected to
continue for the next two weeks.  Trading moderate.  Too few sales reported to
establish a market.  LAST REPORT.
   VIDALIA DISTRICT, GEORGIA---Shipments 160-161-168---Movement expected
to decrease slightly due to holiday-related delivery schedule.  Trading
very slow. Prices colossal lower, others unchanged. Yellow Granex type
U.S. One 40 pound cartons colossal mostly 9.00, jumbo mostly 8.00, medium
mostly 7.00.  Most growers with storage capability are aiming to complete
getting onions out of the field by the beginning of June.
   SAN ANTONIO-WINTER GARDEN-LAREDO DISTRICT---Shipments 55-93-149---Movement
expected to increase as more shippers get started.  Trading Yellow jumbo active,
others fairly slow.  Prices Yellow jumbo and medium generally unchanged, others
lower.  Yellow Grano 50 lb sacks Super colossal 9.00-10.00, colossal mostly
8.50, jumbo mostly 8.00, medium 6.00-7.00, repacker size 6.00-7.00, White jumbo
10.00-12.00, medium 8.00-10.00, Red 25 lb sacks jumbo 7.00, medium 6.00.
   ARIZONA---Shipments 20-50-65---Movement expected about the same. Unofficial
prices for Monday, May 24th, Yellow 50 lb sacks jumbo 7.00, medium and repacker
size 6.00.
   SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 0-10-19---Movement expected to
increase as more shippers begin harvesting.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices lower.
40 lb carton Red Flat Type jumbo mostly 8.00-8.90, medium mostly 6.00-6.90.
   NEW MEXICO---Few shippers will start with light shipments current week, more
shippers are waiting until June 1st to get started.
---POTATOES
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT IDAHO---Shipments 576-615-639---
Movement expected to remain about the same and decrease slightly next week due
to holiday shipping schedules.  Trading moderate.  Prices baled and carton
40-60s slightly lower, others generally unchanged.  Russet Burbank U.S. One baled
5 10-lb mesh bags non-size A 2.25-2.50, 50 lb cartons 40-50s mostly 10.00-10.25,
60s mostly 10.50-11.00, 70s mostly 11.00-11.50, 80s 10.00-10.50, 90s 6.00-6.50,
100s 5.00-5.50.  Eighty-nine percent of last week's shipments were Russet
Burbanks according to the federal Marketing Order Committee manager's report.
Crop emergence in South-Central and Eastern areas of the state benefited from
rain received last week.  Recent moisture also made slight improvements to
irrigation water supplies.  Statewide, 93 percent of the 2004 crop has been
planted with 20 percent emerged as of May 24th.  This is ahead of last years
89 percent planted and 9 percent emerged (Idaho Agricultural Statistics Service).
   SAN LUIS VALLEY COLORADO---Shipments 377-396-341 (includes exports 8-8-
unavailable)---Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading Russet
cartons fairly active, others fairly slow.  Prices Russet cartons 40-50s higher,
others generally unchanged.  Russet Nugget Norkotah and few Centennials U.S. One
baled 5 10-lb film bags non size A 2.50, 50 lb cartons 40-50s mostly 10.00,
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 too few sales reported to establish a market.  Total seasonal movement
is approximately 23 percent behind last year.  Most Russet Nuggets, being
blockier-shaped tubers, are inspected to two-inch minimum while most Norkotahs
are 1 7/8 inch minimum, under the Marketing Order standards.
LAST REPORT ON ROUND REDS.
   KERN DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 155-246-277---Movement expected to
increase slightly.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices lower.  U.S. One 50 lb cartons
Round Red  size A 6.00-8.00, size B mostly 8.00, Long White size A 8.00-9.00,
Yellow Type size A 10.00, size B 6.00-7.00.  Only one shipper expected to have
Russet Norkotahs this week, others starting after Memorial Day.  So far this
season about one-half of the shipments have been Long Whites and a quarter each
Round Red and Yellows.  Growers report yields have been above-average.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 230-227-221---Movement expected to remain about
the same current week and then decrease slightly due to holiday shipping
schedules.  Trading moderate.  Prices carton 80-100s slightly higher, others
generally unchanged.  U.S. One Russet Norkotah baled 5 10-lb film bags non-size
A mostly 2.75, size A 3.00-3.50, 5-9 oz 4.25-4.75, 50 lb cartons 50-70s mostly
8.00-8.50, 80s mostly 6.50-6.75, 90s mostly 5.00-5.50, 100s 4.25-4.50.
2004 Crop Update:  Growers across the state have been busy planting the 2004 crop.
In some areas, unofficial reports of 2-3 inch emergence has occurred.  However,
rains over the past week have slowed field work considerably.  Total seasonal
movement is some 9 percent greater than that recorded all of last season (when
shipment recording stopped June 21st).
   CENTRAL AND NORTH FLORIDA DISTRICTS---Shipments 186-223-162---
Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading Round Red moderate, Round
White fairly slow with truck shortage hindering movement. Prices Round Red
generally unchanged, Round White lower.  Round Red U.S. One 50 lb cartons
3/4-1 5/8 inch 20.30, U.S. One 50 lb sacks size A 8.30, size B 10.30-12.30;
Round White U.S. One 50 lb sacks size A 5.30, size B mostly 4.30. Quality Good.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON AND UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments All
Washington Districts 197-170-219 (includes export 31-25-34)---Shipments
Umatilla Basin, OR 34-32-14 (includes export 4-4-1)---Movement expected
about the same. Trading Carton 40-80s moderate, others fairly slow. Prices
carton 40-70s generally unchanged, others slightly lower. Mostly Russet
Norkotah U.S. One 2 inch or 4 oz minimum. Baled 5 10-lb filmbags non Size A
1.75-2.25, 10 5-lb filmbags non Size A 2.75-3.25, 50 lb Cartons 40s 6.00-7.00,
50s 7.00-8.00, 60-70s 8.00-8.50, 80s 6.50-7.00, 90s 5.00-6.00, 100s 4.00-5.00.
Quality generally good. According to the Washington Agricultural Statistics
Service, potatoes emerged for week ending 22 May were 83%, compared to the
5 year average of 72%.
   CENTRAL ARIZONA---Shipments 68-96-72---Movement expected to remain about the
same.  Trading slow.  Prices lower.  U.S. One Round Red 50 lb carton size A
mostly 8.00, size B mostly 8.00-9.00, Creamer 3/4-1 5/8 inch mostly 22.00-25.00.
   RED RIVER VALLEY (MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA)---Shipments 71-62-55---Movement
expected decrease as a few more shippers finish for the season.  Trading fairly
slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  U.S. One Round Red 100 lb sack size A mostly
6.00, 50 lb sacks size B mostly 5.50-6.00, baled 5 10-lb film bag size A mostly
4.25.  Wide range in appearance.
   AROOSTOOK COUNTY MAINE---Shipments 53-*59-49---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 supplies
insufficient to establish a market, Russet Norkotah 2 inch minimum 4.00-4.50.
Wide range in price and condition.  2004 Crop Update:  Planting continues on
a timely basis.  *revised.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments 37-45-32---Movement expected to decrease as more
growers near completion.  Trading slow.  Prices unchanged.  Russet Norkotah
and Goldrush 10 pound filmbags loose .70-.80.  2004 Crop Update:  Planting
stalled by rain and wet fields across the state.
   KLAMATH BASIN (NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON)---Shipments
34-28-21---Movement expected about the same. Trading moderate. Prices
generally unchanged. Mostly Russet Norkotahs baled filmbags non-size A
5-10 lb 3.00, 10-5 lb 4.00, 50 lb 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.  Most sheds running
partial schedules.  Quality generally good.
  NEW BRUNSWICK (CROSSINGS THROUGH MAINE POINTS)---Shipments 20-32-*---
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,
90s and 100s 5.00-5.50.  *unavailable.
---POTATOES FOR PROCESSING
   IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers was moderate.  Open-
market prices paid to growers for Russet Burbank potatoes, storage-run, bulk,
per hundredweight, less dirt, rot and green tare, F.O.B. growers storage unless
otherwise stated:  French-Fry Quality:  U.S. No. Two Process Grade 2 inch minimum
5.50; U.S. No. Two Process Grade 1 5/8 inch minimum 5.00-5.25.
   CENTRAL AND NORTH FLORIDA DISTRICTS---Shipments To Chippers 367-758-1,531---
Movement expected to remain about the same. Trading fairly slow with truck shortage
hindering movement.  Prices slightly lower.  Round White Atlantic 85% or Better
U.S. One bulk per hundredweight (cwt) 1 7/8 inch minimum contract sales 7.00-7.50,
open market sales 3.00.  Quality Good.
   MICHIGAN---Shipments to Chippers *141-121-107---Movement expected to decrease
seasonally as more growers finish for the season.  Trading slow. Too few open
market sales to establish a market.  Most movement on pre-season contract.
2004 Crop update:  Planting is at a standstill after several days of wet weather.
Growers hope to be back in the fields by the end of this week.  Some replanting
will be necessary.  *revised.
   MAINE---Shipments to Chippers *67-58-50---Movement expected to decrease
slightly as growers wrap up for the season.  Trading slow. Most movement on
pre-season contract.  Too few open market sales to establish a market.
2004 Crop Update: Planting continues. *revised.
---POTATOES FOR SEED
   IDAHO---Shipments 453-634-261---Total-to-date 6,355,000 hundredweight (cwt).
Total-to-date last season 7,140,000 hundredweight (cwt). Final total last season
7,297,000 hundredweight (cwt).
   MONTANA---Shipments 231-118-21---Total-to-date 2,410,000 hundredweight (cwt).
Total-to-date last season 2,356,000 hundredweight (cwt).  Final total last season
2,372,000 hundredweight (cwt).
   WISCONSIN---Shipments 28-50-14---Total-to-date 1,303,000 hundredweight (cwt).
Total-to-date last season 1,428,000 hundredweight (cwt). Final total last season
1,439,000 hundredweight (cwt).
   COLORADO---Shipments 18-12-unavailable---Total-to-date 1,032,000 hundredweight
(cwt), Total-to-date last season 1,158,000 hundredweight (cwt).  Final total last
season 1,163,000 hundredweight (cwt).  LAST REPORT.
   MINNESOTA-NORTH DAKOTA---Shipments 247-144-24---Total-to-date 1,923,000
hundredweight (cwt).  Total-to-date last season 1,913,000 hundredweight (cwt).
Final total last season 2,001,000 hundredweight (cwt).

---

STAT News Service