Northwest potato stocks totaled 43.7 million cwt on June 1, down 7.2% from 47.1 million cwt a year ago, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reported. According to CapitalPress.com, Idaho stocks totaled 25 million cwt, down from 26 million cwt a year ago. Disappearance to date was 109 million cwt, up from the 104.9 million cwt NASS reported a year ago.
Stocks remained at 19% of production. Production exceeded 134.77 million, up from 130.9 million. Idaho Potato Commission President and CEO Frank Muir said he’s encouraged to see the state’s stocks as a percentage of production holding steady despite last year’s higher-yielding crop.
“We’re moving more potatoes,” he said. “All of our expectations are that we will clear out the inventory of this year’s crop, just as we did last year’s.”
Muir said the foodservice segment, about 60% of IPC’s market, has seen some improvement. Meanwhile, the retail channel remains strong. The commission developed programs to help move foodservice- and export-bound potatoes into domestic retail channels during the COVID-19 pandemic. NASS said processors in Idaho and Malheur County, Ore., used 73.1 million cwt of potatoes for the season, up 5% from June 1, 2020. Processors in Washington and other Oregon counties used 78.1 million cwt, down 1%.
NASS said Washington potato stocks June 1 totaled 13.8 million cwt, down from 15.5 million cwt. Disappearance to date was 84.8 million cwt compared to the 85.6 million cwt NASS reported a year earlier. Stocks as a percentage of production decreased a percentage point to 14%. Production dropped from 104.96 million cwt to 98.56 million ewt. Most of the state’s potatoes go to processors, which contracted for fewer acres in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began to unfold.
Oregon stocks June 1 totaled 3.9 million cwt, up from 2.8 million cwt a year earlier. Disappearance to date was 23.1 million cwt, up from the 21.5 million NASS reported a year earlier. Stocks increased to 14% of production, from 11%. Production totaled 27 million cwt, up from 25.31 million cwt.
