News and Stories

UPDATE: IDAHO POTATOES

November 22, 2019

The Idaho potato market is expected to remain consistently higher than the 2018-2019 season. Early October’s freezing weather affected 15% of the entire Idaho potato crop. Growers have attempted to salvage as many damaged potatoes as possible, but those supplies will have a greater risk of arrival issues as well as shelf-life instability. Markon expects that orders will need to be supplemented with Washington potatoes by April 2020.

  • Both varieties, Norkotahs and Burbanks, will need to be utilized to prevent shortages through April 2020
    • The Norkotah crop was nearly 100% harvested by the time the low temperatures occurred; size is dominated by 50- to 80-count stocks
    • The Burbank crop had very little acreage harvested before the freeze and received the most damage
      • Remaining supplies are dominated by 70- to 100-count supplies
      • Number 2 stocks are expected to be ample
    • High Thanksgiving retail prices are putting upward pressure on carton markets
    • 40- to 50-count cartons are extremely limited

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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