Inside Potatoes
Driver shortage problem for American growers
There is a serious shortage of truck drivers in the United States. There is a shortage of 80.000 drivers and that number could double in the next ten years. A major problem, including for potato growers in the state of Maine. They have trouble getting their great harvest away.
US potato crop falls across the board considerably lower from. This is the smallest harvest since 2013, mainly caused by the extreme heat in the northwest last summer. The yield is estimated at 18,7 million tons. A situation that potato growers in the state of Maine can take advantage of. Completely against the national trend, a record yield was achieved this year. There is only one problem: getting the potatoes off the dam is not self-evident.
Problem size increased
According to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the US currently faces a shortage of approximately 80.000 truck drivers. The driver shortage has been going on for years, but the situation has deteriorated further due to the corona crisis. For example, 40% to 60% fewer drivers have been trained and the failure rate is exceptionally high.
There are also a number of structural problems, such as the aging of the transport sector. The minimum age of 21 for interstate transport also affects the sector. Many young people have already chosen a different career path. If current trends continue, ATA fears that the shortage will rise to 160.000 drivers in the coming decade.
Storage potatoes in aircraft hangars
Potato growers in Maine, among others, are now experiencing the consequences. The shortage of trucks is holding back the sales of their record crop. The yield in the state in the northeast of the US will be 800.000 tons this year. That is 36,9% higher than in 2020. For many growers, their existing storage capacity was not sufficient this year. They have even had to move to aircraft hangars of a former military base.
The surprising record harvest offers Maine growers the opportunity to capitalize on the strong demand in the market. American chip factories in particular are at risk of running out of raw materials now that the potato harvest in the country is small, while the stocks already minimal goods. Also Europe can benefit of this situation, because US demand is stronger than usual and there will be less exports from the US.
High costs for transport
However, the current transport delays and a shortage of drivers make it difficult to sell the potatoes. Overall, freight traffic in the US is estimated to have fallen by 10% to 15%. Rail transport can partly be a solution to the problem, but that kite often does not apply to fresh products such as potatoes. The costs for transport have risen sharply, partly due to high fuel prices. So at the bottom, growers in Maine don't get as much from their record yields as the numbers initially suggest.
Jeanette Pennings
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