Prince Edward Island (PEI) and New Brunswick Canadian provinces are announcing excellent potato crops developments.
According to the latest United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) report, growing conditions across the country seem to have reversed regionally from a year ago.
In 2021, the four main growing provinces in eastern and central Canada have received good moisture levels to date, while the four western provinces have been extremely hot and dry.
The PEI potato “crop looks excellent with canopies looking as good as many can remember”, said UPGS’s experts. This crop is seeing good levels of moisture for rapid growth. Rows are reaching full closure with some fields undergoing tuber initiation and some fields even sizing.
In New Brunswick’s case, “the crop also looks excellent and has experienced lots of rain to date, with more in the forecast”. The crop is coming along about two weeks ahead of schedule with harvest underway for the early fresh market in the southern zone of the province. Canopies have filled in nicely and more rain is in the immediate forecast.
In Quebec, the potato crop is also looking good after experiencing ideal growing conditions with warm temperatures and frequent showers. Early planting has allowed full row closure on most fields. The region north of Montreal is a bit drier but some supplemental irrigation is taking care of replenishing moisture.
Ontario’s potato crop is equally promising, with lots of moisture put down for the crop. A few isolated pockets received some excessive water creating some flooded out areas and damage in fields.
The Less Fortunate
Although acreage has increased by 10% this year in Manitoba, fresh potato growing areas of the province are experiencing the most severe drought in the province, with very hot and dry conditions.
“With current conditions, half a crop could be the outcome and with some rain, the expectation could move to three quarters of a crop at best”, according to UPGS’s experts.
Saskatchewan’s farmers faced hot and dry growing conditions for this year’s potato crop. The excessive heat has dropped the set under plant canopies and could potentially reduce yields to three quarters of a crop.
The seed growing area in the northern part of Alberta started out with excellent moisture reserves from last fall. However, many farms have not seen rain since June, and plants are beginning to wilt and show signs of stress. Potato vines are stressed and 80-90% of the crop has dropped its first set of tubers.
Last but not least, British Columbia’s potato crop got off to a great start, with early planting and good moisture. However, the first half of June was cool and wet and as a result many fields didn’t get the jump they got last year. It has been very hot and dry since June 15.
Canadian growers are estimated to have planted 378,624 acres to potatoes this year, 5.3% higher than in 2020.
