News and Stories

Idaho Norkotah potato supplies are depleted. The Burbank variety will be shipped for the rest of the 2015-2016 season (June/July) until new crop, field-run Norkotahs become available in late July. Remaining Idaho Burbank stocks will be dominated by small potatoes (80- through 100-count sizes); large supplies (40- through 70-count sizes) are limited.

White Russet storage stocks will be on the market through mid-July. Remaining stocks are dominated by small sizes (80- through 100- count potatoes); large sizes (40- through 70-count potatoes) are limited.

Prices are expected to remain relatively steady, with slight fluctuations, through the end of the season. 

Storage Crop Quality

• During the summer 2015-2016 growing season, Idaho experienced record-high temperatures, as well as sudden shifts to freezing weather; these factors are causing inconsistent size and sporadic quality issues in the storage crop
• Pressure bruising (soft indentations) is a result of pressure at points of contact with adjacent potatoes or the floor while potatoes sit in storage sheds
• Air checks, which are caused by dehydration, become more prevalent this time of the year; larger cuts are called air cracks and can be caused by mechanical damage 
• Pressure bruising will be occasionally seen in the White Russet variety, however there will be far fewer internal black spots than the Burbank variety due to their genetic makeup
• Markon will continue to gather weekly quality reports and update members on a regular basis

2016-2017 New Crop

• Potato planting for the 2016 storage crop season is complete
• Weather has been ideal
• Growing regions have experienced some cold, damp weather, but in general temperatures have been warm
• No quality concerns have been reported
• New crop harvesting of fresh-run potato shipments will begin in late July early August
• Storage crop harvests will start in early September and continue through most of October; suppliers will begin to ship out of storage in early October

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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