There were more potatoes in storage on April 1 than last year in the US. In addition to a larger harvest, the lowest processing since 2011 is recorded. Less product is purchased, processed and exported. Growers have more production in stock, especially in the large potato states.
According to figures from the USDA Agriculture Ministry, 1 million cwt of product was still in stock on April 133,34. This means a consumption of 71,36 million cwt in the months of February and March, since the previous inventory measurement. The lowest consumption since 2011 and a decline of 1,4 percent compared to last year.
33 percent of total harvest
The stock on April 1 represents almost 33 percent of the total harvest. That was 1 percent on April 2016, 31,5. It should be noted that the 2016 harvest was 2 percent higher. According to the ministry, a decrease in consumption of more than one million cwt is due to fewer exports of table potatoes, fries and seed potatoes.
The latter segment in particular shrank by almost 30 percent. Purchases from the consumer sector decreased by 3 percent. Processing increased minimally. The USDA mainly notes more storage losses, but fewer losses due to tare, among other things.
Most potatoes in Idaho
The potato state of Idaho has the most potatoes in stock. 13 percent more than was the case one year ago. This state alone accounts for 78,5 percent of the total inventory recorded on April 1.
In Minnesota, the inventory is even 40 percent larger. In Nebraska it is 36 percent lower. However, these are states with small potato production. These figures correspond to the processing figures. For Idaho they are lower, for Nebraska they are considerably higher.