In the Midwest, Minnesota has experienced a number of issues that could cause its volume of potatoes to be lower this season. "We got a late planting—so Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota—and that knocked some yield off of the crop," says Rett Landers of Northern Star Co. in Minneapolis, Minn. He says that while the growing season went well, harvest was wet which also caused issues. "So I'd say in the upper Midwest, the yield will be off probably five per cent," he adds.
North Dakota saw cold temperatures that affected harvest as well. "There were a number of acres that didn't get harvested before the cold weather hit. I think the red volume will be affected there," Landers says, adding that Minnesota's yields will likely be off between three to five percent.
Multiple weather events
Minnesota also saw a delayed harvest due to warm weather and then rains also further affected the ability to harvest. "Most people got done with harvest but it took a longer time because of the warm and wet weather and then the cold weather at the end of harvest," says Landers.
Over in Idaho, a leading potato growing region, a significant freeze hit mid-October. "The crews were working 20 hours day easy to get the potatoes up and out in Idaho," says Rick Greener of Greener Produce LLC in Ketchum, Idaho. "There's talk of Idaho having short supplies in May and June and people are worried."
Some estimates are that yields could be down anywhere from 10 to 30 percent.
Not surprisingly, pricing is already affected, though the holiday push may have also begun. "We're seeing increases weekly on pricing already. Freight pricing is also coming on with holiday pressure," says Greener.
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