United States Onion and Potato Market Trend Report

WASHINGTON - Jun 8/04 - SNS -- The latest weekly onion and potato market trend report was released by the USDA today.

JUNE 5, 2004 IN THAT ORDER IN THOUSAND HUNDRED WEIGHT (100,000 LBS) UNITS.
EXPECTED MOVEMENT IS FOR THE PERIOD JUNE 6-19, 2004.  PRICES ARE FOR
MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2004 COMPARED WITH TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 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
   VIDALIA DISTRICT, GEORGIA---Shipments 168-166-162---Movement expected
to remain about the same.  Trading fairly active. Prices jumbo and
colossal higher, medium lower. Yellow Granex type U.S. One 40 pound
cartons colossal mostly 9.00-10.00, jumbo mostly 8.00, medium mostly
6.00-7.00.  Generally all supplies from the fresh harvest are expected to
be finished by June 12.  Shipments from cold storage units are increasing
seasonably as fresh harvest supplies clean up.
   SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 19-50-126---Movement expected to
increase.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices generally unchanged.  40 pound carton
Red Flat Type jumbo mostly 7.00-7.75.  25 pound sacks Red Flat Type Jumbo
4.50-5.25, medium 3.75-4.70, Red Globe Type jumbo mostly 5.00-5.50, medium
4.00-4.50.  50 pound sacks Yellow Grano colossal mostly 8.00, jumbo mostly
6.50-7.00, medium mostly 5.00-5.50.
   IMPERIAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 416-324-125---Movement expected
to decrease sharply as remaining shippers expect to be finished harvesting
by the end of the week.  Remaining supplies in too few hands to establish
a market.  Light shipments expected to continue into the week of June 13.
LAST REPORT.
   NEW MEXICO---Shipments 0-29-120---Movement expected to increase as more
shippers enter into the deal.  Trading fairly active.  Prices generally
unchanged.  Yellow Grano 50 pound sacks Super Colossal 10.00-12.00,
Colossal 9.00, Jumbo 8.00, Medium and Repacker size mostly 5.50. White
50 pound sacks Jumbo 8.00-10.00, medium 7.00-8.00. Red 25 pound sacks
Jumbo 7.00-8.00, medium 5.00-6.00.
   SAN ANTONIO-WINTER GARDEN-LAREDO DISTRICT---Shipments 149-154-105---
Movement expected to decrease as more shippers finish for the season.
Trading fairly slow.  Prices lower.  Yellow Grano 50 lb sacks jumbo 8.00,
medium 4.50-5.00, repacker size 4.50-5.00, White jumbo 8.00, medium
mostly 7.00.
   ARIZONA---Shipments 65-66-73---Movement expected about the same.
Unofficial prices for Monday, June 7th, Yellow Grano 50 pound sacks
jumbo 7.50-9.00.
   WALLA WALLA DISTRICT WASHINGTON---Shipments 0-0-0---Movement expected
to begin in some areas by June 12. The growing area has received near
normal precipitation, especially in May, which combined with warmer
temperatures during the week of May 30, helped crop maturity. There are
reports of minimal damage to some fields from hail. F.O.B. prices are
expected to begin by mid-June. FIRST REPORT.
---POTATOES
   UPPER VALLEY, TWIN FALLS-BURLEY DISTRICT IDAHO---Shipments 639-625-512---
Movement expected to remain about the same this week and increase the week
of June 13.  Trading carton 50-60s and U.S. Two fairly active, others
fairly slow.  Prices baled slightly lower, others generally unchanged.
Russet Burbank U.S. One baled 5 10-pound mesh bags non-size A 2.25-2.50,
50 pound cartons 40-50s 10.00-10.50, 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.  June shipments
have averaged 3.2 million hundredweight the last 3 years.  2004 Crop Update:
The crop is progressing ahead of normal so far.  After no delays at planting
and the late May showers and high temperatures (mostly in the 70-90s the week
of May 30), the crop is currently projected to be 1-2 weeks ahead of normal.
However, sufficient irrigation water to finish the crop in August remains a
concern as the prolonged drought is likely to drain Upper Snake reservoirs lower
than they have been in decades.  Partly as a concern towards irrigation water,
fresh-market growers likely planted more of the Russet Norkotah variety as a
percent of total acreage than previous years.
   KERN DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA---Shipments 277-344-333---Movement expected to
increase slightly as the harvest on the Russet Norkotah crop intensifies.
Trading Russet Norkotah active, others fairly slow.  Prices Long White,
Round Red and Yellow Type lower.  U.S. One Russet Norkotah (first report)
baled 5 10-pound film bags non size A 4.00-5.00, 50 pound cartons 50-70s 12.00,
80s mostly 11.00, 90s 8.00, 100s 7.00.  U.S. One 50 pound cartons Round Red
size A 5.00-7.00, size B mostly 7.00-8.00, Long White size A 6.00-8.00,
Yellow Type size A 8.00-10.00, size B 6.00-7.00.
   SAN LUIS VALLEY COLORADO---Shipments 341-356-277 (includes exports 8-5-3)---
Movement expected to remain about the same.  Trading cartons fairly active,
others fairly slow.  Prices U.S. Commercial bulk lower, others generally
unchanged.  Russet Nugget and some Russet Centennial and Norkotah U.S. One
baled 5 10-pound film bags non size A 2.25-2.50, 50 pound cartons 40-70s
10.00, 80s 7.00-8.00, 90s 5.25-6.00, 100s mostly 5.00-5.50, U.S. Commercial
unwashed bulk per hundredweight (cwt) size A 3.50-4.50.
   CENTRAL WISCONSIN---Shipments 221-220-191---Movement expected to decrease.
Trading fairly active.  Prices cartons higher, others generally unchanged.
U.S. One Russet Norkotah baled 5 10-pound film bags non-size A 2.75,
50 pound cartons 50-70s mostly 9.00-9.75, 80s mostly 6.50-7.50, 90s 5.00-5.50,
100s mostly 4.00-5.00.  Quality variable.  Supplies are in fewer hands as
several grower-shippers have finished for the season.  2004 Crop Update:
Growers on heavier muck soils, consisting of Round Red or chip potatoes,
were able to pump standing water from fields last week from earlier rains.
The month of May was one of the rainiest on record.  The Russet crop grown
on lighter soils is in favorable condition.
   COLUMBIA BASIN WASHINGTON & UMATILLA BASIN OREGON---Shipments All
Washington Districts 219-282-179 (includes export 34-27-25)---Shipments
Umatilla Basin, OR 14-25-42 (includes export 1-4-10)---Movement expected
about the same. Trading carton 40-80s fairly good, others fairly slow.
Prices carton 40-80s higher, others generally unchanged. Mostly Russet
Norkotah US One 2 inch or 4 ounce minimum. Baled 5 10-pound filmbags non
size A 1.75-2.25, 10 5-pound filmbags non Size A 2.75-3.25, 50 pound cartons
40s mostly 7.50-8.00, 50s mostly 8.00-8.50, 60-70s 9.00-9.50, 80s 7.00-8.00,
90s 5.00-6.00, 100s mostly 4.50. Quality generally good.
   NORTH FLORIDA---Shipments 162***-156-178---Movement expected to decrease.
Trading Round Red slow, Round White very slow.  Prices Round Red and
Round White size A slightly lower, others generally unchanged. Round Red
U.S. One 50 pound cartons 3/4-1 5/8 inches mostly 20.30,  U.S. One 50 pound
sacks size A 6.30, size B 9.30-10.30; Round White U.S. One 50 pound sacks
size A 4.30-5.30, size B 4.30.  Quality Good.  ***includes movement from
Central Florida
   CENTRAL ARIZONA---Shipments 72-97-46---Movement expected to decrease as more
shippers finish for the season.  Trading slow.  Prices lower.  U.S. One Round
Red 50 pound carton size A mostly 7.00-7.25, size B 6.00-9.25, Creamers
3/4-1 5/8 inches mostly 15.00-20.00.
   KLAMATH BASIN (NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON)---Shipments
21-32-27---Movement expected about the same. Trading fairly 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 mostly 10.00,
60-70s 10.00-11.00, 80s 8.00-9.00, 90s 6.50-7.50, 100s 5.00-6.50. Quality
generally good. Most sheds running on partial schedules.
   EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA---Light harvesting is expected to begin
during the week of June 6 although most growers will not start until the
week of June 20. Growers report the crop is progressing well and is in
good condition.  FIRST REPORT.
   ELIZABETH CITY DISTRICT, NORTH CAROLINA---Most growers expect to begin the
harvest around June 14.  FIRST REPORT.
---POTATOES FOR PROCESSING
   IDAHO---Open-market trading by processors with growers was very 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 one small lot
(mostly 8 ounce minimum) 5.00 1 7/8 inch minimum.  Some Idaho Fry plants will
be running new crop potatoes from Washington Columbia Basin by July 5th.
Reports indicate that the new crop is at least ten days ahead of normal in
Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
    NORTH FLORIDA---Shipments To Chippers 1531***-972-1162---Movement expected
to decrease.  Trading fairly slow.  Prices generally unchanged. Round White
Atlantic 85% or Better U.S. One bulk per hundredweight (cwt) contract sales
1 7/8 inch minimum 7.00-7.50 per cwt open market sales 1 7/8 inch minimum
3.00.  Quality Good.  ***includes movement from Central Florida
   ELIZABETH CITY DISTRICT, NORTH CAROLINA---Shipments 0-0-20---Movement
expected to increase as more growers get underway with the harvest.
Trading very slow as practically all movement on pre-season contracts.
Round White Atlantic 85% or Better U.S. One bulk per hundred weight contract
sales  1 5/8 inch minimum 5.75-6.75.  FIRST REPORT.
---POTATOES FOR SEED
   IDAHO---Shipments 261-166-4---Total-to-date 6,525,000 hundredweight (cwt).
Total-to-date last season 7,284,000 cwt.  Final total last season 7,297,000
cwt.  LAST REPORT.

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STAT News Service