News and Stories

Large-size Idaho Burbank and Norkotah potatoes (40- through 70-count supplies) remain limited. While the market has stabilized for now, prices for large-size potatoes are expected to rise during these last months of the storage crop season (June and July). Markon strongly recommends members adjust their normal ordering patterns and place orders for large sizes further in advance (preferably five business days), to ensure order fulfillment.    

Small sizes (80- through 100-count potatoes) are ample. Prices should remain relatively steady, with slight fluctuations, for the rest of the season. Expect a wide price gap between large and small sizes.    

Eastern Idaho Norkotah storage supplies have been depleted. Western Idaho shippers expect Norkotah stocks to remain available through the end of this week only. Burbanks will be used to fill all orders for the remainder of the storage crop season and until new crop Norkotah harvesting begins.   

Storage Crop Quality

• Cool temperatures and rain received last August hindered growth and prevented stocks from reaching full-size potential and resulted in small potatoes (80- through 100-count supplies)
• No major quality issues or concerns have been reported, however as the year progresses and potatoes continue to sit in storage sheds, some defects may become evident
• Pressure and/or shoulder bruising (soft, external indents) are the results of pressure at points of contact with adjacent potatoes or the floor, while potatoes sit in storage sheds
• Hollow heart (small, irregularly shaped internal craters) develops during the growing season when potatoes grow faster than normal due to adverse weather; this defect can be detected at the production level by x-ray scanners that determine which potatoes meet No. 1 grade specifications

2015 New Crop

• New crop harvesting of fresh-run potato shipments will begin in late July
• The storage crop harvest will begin in early September and will continue through most of October; growers may continue to harvest fresh-run potatoes during this time depending on demand and market conditions
• Growers will begin to ship out of storage in mid-October and continue through the end of October
• It is still too early to gauge how the 2015/2016 crop will yield, however Markon will continue to monitor weather during the growing season and report predictions

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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