STAT Communications Ag Market News

Modest Jump in Summer Potato Harvest

WASHINGTON - Aug 10/17 - SNS -- Production of summer potatoes in the United States is forecast at 20.2 million cwt (100 pound units), up 3% from 2016, according to the latest USDA production estimate's of the season.

Harvested area is estimated at 62,900 acres, 4% above last year. Average yield is forecast at 322 cwt per acre, down 1 cwt from 2016.

Texas growers reported high yields. Maryland's potato crop received adequate precipitation that resulted in large potatoes. Some of North Carolina's producers reported too much rain. However, the crop yields were generally average. Virginia's producers said that ill-timed weather had impacted their growing season. The weather was too wet early on and it became too hot and dry.

Potato Area Planted and Harvested, Yield, and Production by Seasonal Group - States and United States: 2016 and 2017
[Data are the latest estimates available, either from the current report or from previous reports. Current year
estimates are for the full 2017 crop year. Blank data cells indicate estimation period has not yet begun]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :     Area planted      :    Area harvested     :    Yield per acre     :      Production
      Seasonal group     :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        and State        :   2016    :   2017    :   2016    :   2017    :   2016    :   2017    :   2016    :   2017
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         :  --------------- 1,000 acres ---------------       ----- cwt -----       ---- 1,000 cwt ---
                         :
Spring 1/                :
California ..............:     26.0        28.0        25.1        27.5       390         425         9,789     11,688
Florida .................:     25.0        26.0        22.9        25.2       235         240         5,382      6,048
                         :
United States ...........:     51.0        54.0        48.0        52.7       316         337        15,171     17,736
                         :
Summer                   :
Illinois ................:      7.0         7.7         6.9         7.6       380         350         2,622      2,660
Kansas ..................:      4.2         3.9         4.2         3.8       300         350         1,260      1,330
Maryland ................:      (D)         2.6         (D)         2.5       (D)         350           (D)        875
Missouri ................:      8.2         9.1         7.9         8.7       305         290         2,410      2,523
New Jersey ..............:      (D)         1.7         (D)         1.7       (D)         280           (D)        476
North Carolina ..........:     14.0        14.3        13.6        13.5       220         230         2,992      3,105
Texas ...................:     20.0        22.0        19.6        21.0       395         395         7,742      8,295
Virginia ................:      4.4         4.7         4.1         4.1       290         240         1,189        984
                         :
Other States 2/ .........:      4.4           -         4.4           -       315           -         1,387          -
                         :
United States ...........:     62.2        66.0        60.7        62.9       323         322        19,602     20,248
                         :
Fall 3/                  :
California ..............:      7.9         6.5         7.9         6.5       445                     3,516
Colorado ................:     57.1        57.2        56.8        56.9       391                    22,198
  San Luis ..............:     50.9        51.9        50.8        51.8       385                    19,558
  All other .............:      6.2         5.3         6.0         5.1       440                     2,640
Idaho ...................:    325.0       310.0       324.0       309.0       430                   139,320
Maine ...................:     47.0        48.0        46.5        47.5       320                    14,880
Michigan ................:     47.0        47.5        46.0        47.0       370                    17,020
Minnesota ...............:     40.0        45.0        39.0        44.0       430                    16,770
Montana .................:     11.3        11.6        11.2        11.5       340                     3,808
                         :
Nebraska ................:     16.5        20.0        16.4        19.8       450                     7,380
New York ................:     15.0        16.0        14.8        15.8       245                     3,626
North Dakota ............:     80.0        78.0        64.0        76.0       325                    20,800
Oregon ..................:     39.0        38.0        38.9        37.9       590                    22,951
Washington ..............:    170.0       170.0       169.0       170.0       625                   105,625
Wisconsin ...............:     65.0        60.0        64.5        59.5       435                    28,058
                         :
United States ...........:    920.8       907.8       899.0       901.4       452                   405,952
                         :
All                      :
United States ...........:  1,034.0     1,027.8     1,007.7     1,017.0       437                   440,725
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-   Represents zero.
(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.
1/  Estimates for current year carried forward from earlier forecast.
2/  Includes data withheld above.
3/  The forecast of fall potato production will be published in "Crop Production" released November 2017.

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