News and Stories

Expect carton and No. 2 pricing to ease slightly in February, Idaho Potato Lover’s Month; most sheds will run full production for retail orders, generating more cartons and No. 2 supplies for foodservice. Markon First Crop Burbank and Norkotah stocks are readily available. Norkotah shipments are expected to continue through early April; Burbank supplies will run through the end of July.

• Expect steady to higher prices from April through the end of the season 
• The potato crop is currently several weeks ahead of schedule due to increased shrink this season, but Markon does not foresee any supply gaps as the industry transitions into the 2016-2017 season
• Sheds will simply minimize production time to prevent shortages
• The overall size profile is fairly even; large sizes (40- to 60-count supplies) will tighten as the season winds down in the summer months 
• The crop will contain a large percentage of No. 2 stocks this season  
• As in past years, potential quality issues with storage crop shipments include the following:
• 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) develop during harvesting 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
  

Please contact your Markon customer service representative for more information.

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