News and Stories

UPDATE: Idaho Potatoes

April 12, 2018

Markon First Crop (MFC) Idaho Burbank and Norkotah Potatoes are available. Norkotah stocks are forecast to be depleted by the end of April. With limited Norkotah supplies remaining, pricing is now comparable to the Burbank variety. Both markets are climbing.

Storage Crop

  • Once Norkotah stocks are depleted, the Burbank variety will be shipped until new crop, field-run Norkotahs become available mid- to late August
  • Both storage Norkotah and Burbank crops are dominated by small-size potatoes (80- to 100-count stocks); large sizes (40- to 70-count supplies) are tightening
  • Quality is good: pressure bruising and hollow heart are sporadic issues in both varieties
    • Raw storage crop quality will weaken as the season progresses
    • Sheds will need to run more raw product to pack the same number of cartons, reducing available supplies
  • There are no anticipated gaps in the Burbank storage crop supply before new crop Norkotahs start shipping

New Crop

  • Late season cold and wet weather has delayed planting in Eastern Idaho until the end of April.
  • New crop Norkotah harvesting is projected to begin in mid-August

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

©2018 Markon Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved.