News and Stories

Idaho Burbank storage supplies continue to diminish with several sheds shutting down for the season this week and many others set to finish next week. Burbank potatoes will be very limited over the next few weeks and should be depleted by the third week of August. The transition from storage crop Burbanks to new crop, fresh run Norkotahs has begun. New crop, fresh-run packer label Norkotahs are on the market. Markon First Crop (MFC) Norkotah Potatoes will be available the week of August 15.

White Russet storage stocks are no longer on the market. The new crop White Russet potato harvest will start later in August, but as potatoes must go through the sweat process, supplies will not be available for shipment until October.  

2016-2017 New Crop

• As both new and storage crop stocks are available, prices for new crop No. 1 cartons are expected to be higher than those for storage crop supplies
• Temperatures have been ideal during the growing phase; very good quality and high yields are predicted
• Fresh-run potatoes will be on the market for the first few months of the season; ordering for quick turns is recommended
• Store potatoes at 40 to 50 degrees F/4.4 to 10 degrees C; adequate air flow is recommended  
• Product should not be wrapped tightly in plastic nor stored where it cannot breathe well
• New crop supplies have not gone through the sweat process yet; potatoes may release moisture as they cool, causing a very light, white surface residue that can be easily brushed off and does not pose any quality problems

Storage Crop Quality

• During the summer of the 2015-2016 growing season, Idaho experienced record-high temperatures, as well as sudden shifts to freezing weather; these factors have caused inconsistent size and sporadic quality issues in the remaining 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 seen occasionally 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

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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